


The Thread That Runs Between Us

by bluedawnpurple123



Category: Schitt's Creek
Genre: Adoption, Alexis Rose Being a Good Sister, Child Abuse, David Rose is a Good Person, Foster Care, Gen, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Kid Fic, M/M, Original Character(s), Other, Parent David Rose, Parent Patrick Brewer, Parent-Child Relationship, Post-Finale
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-14
Updated: 2020-11-20
Packaged: 2021-03-05 20:02:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 11
Words: 23,662
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25901026
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bluedawnpurple123/pseuds/bluedawnpurple123
Summary: David has never liked kids. They are loud and sticky and he has never seen the appeal.  However, when one day he meets a young girl just as scared and alone in the world as he once was he feels an unexpected wave of protectiveness wash over him. His life might never be the same, but somehow he might be... okay with that?
Relationships: David Rose & OC, Patrick Brewer & OC, Patrick Brewer/David Rose, Stevie Budd & David Rose
Comments: 123
Kudos: 328





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first foray into the world of writing fanfic. I read fic constantly but have never had an idea for my own story grab me quite like this one has and I decided it was time to share! I look forward to hearing any thoughts anyone has x

“Now David, you can never underestimate the importance of a well folded towel for a guest”, Johnny proclaimed. 

David rolled his eyes at his father. 

It had been almost two years since his parents had officially moved away from Schitt’s Creek but that didn’t stop Johnny Rose from ‘stopping by’ the Rosebud Motel every few months under the guise of checking up on his investments, or Stevie or whatever other excuse he came up with each time. 

David was secretly glad he got to see his Dad, and often his Mom too when she returned alongside Johnny to “help the Jazzagals find some inspiration”, as often as he did. 

He was sitting in the reception of the motel on the ratty couch they still hadn’t replaced, despite his strongly dropped hints, when the loud slamming of a door cut through Johnny’s lesson on towel maintenance. 

This wasn’t that unusual an occurrence and probably wouldn’t have caught David’s attention if it weren’t for Stevie telling him the day before about the guests in room seven. 

They had checked in two days before; a man and woman with a black haired girl around ten years old. Stevie had told David about the screaming fights she had heard, the sound of breaking glass from the room and seeing the greasy haired, skinny child sitting alone outside the room after dark last night. When she had approached her the girl had looked up at Stevie with wide, frightened eyes and immediately darted into the motel room, closing the door softly behind her. 

The family was due to check out today but David knew Stevie felt uneasy about the whole thing. 

After hearing the door slam outside it was followed up closely by the sounds of a man and woman shouting at each other and another door slamming. 

Before David had consciously thought of what to do he found himself moving through the reception door and turning in time to see a scene that made his stomach clench; the man had the child gripped firmly by her upper arm as she used all her weight to pull away from him, tears streaming down her face. 

The man leaned closer to her screaming while the woman, red faced and angry, gripped her two hands harshly around the side of the girl’s face forcing her to face her. 

The woman spitting, screamed, “You listen to us when she speak to you you stupid BITCH!”, 

The girl let out a sob.

David was already moving towards them, vaguely aware of Stevie and his Dad following behind, when the screaming man balled up his fist and made to punch the young, dark haired, girl.

Moving with a speed that David absentmindedly thought Patrick would be both surprised and impressed by, he put himself between the young girl and the fist flying towards her. 

The breath was momentarily knocked out of David as the man’s fist landed just under his sternum, stunning him. 

Hearing his Dad and Stevie right behind him, calling to him, distracted the shouting couple. David turned, and without thinking he firmly took the girl by her shoulders and out of the reach of the woman who had still been gripping her with one hand. 

David put the girl directly behind his body, shielding her from the carnage now in front of them. Stevie was on her cell phone, presumably calling 911 while his Dad stood protectively at her shoulder; the man and woman shouting obscenities. 

David found himself watching all of this unfold as though he was watching it through hazy glass, the sounds dampened. All his senses were focused on the little body behind him leaning ever so slightly into his back. 

Since pulling the young girl behind himself David had kept one hand protectively on her shoulder. He found himself gently squeezing her shoulder now to offer some comfort. Of course he then immediately felt his stomach drop, certain he had done the wrong thing. 

Surely this child had experienced enough rough hands on her that this touch from a total stranger would only make her feel more unsafe and unsure. However, before he could spiral any further David felt the girl very gently lean more of her body weight into David. Almost as though she was allowing David to keep her standing. 

David felt a wave of protectiveness wash over him like he had never felt before and ran his thumb lightly and affectionately over the girl’s shoulder. 

All at once, seeing the scene in front of him as though for the first time, David realised how this all must look to a kid. 

The only thought in David’s head was that he needed to get this girl safe and away from the older couple who were still screaming at his Dad while Stevie was turned slightly away speaking into her phone. 

In an uncharacteristically take-charge moment David found himself turning and crouching down to the girl who avoided his gaze.

“Will you come over here with me? Away from all..” he gestured with his hands “this?”

The young girl nodded ever so slightly; David straightened up and with one had still on the girl’s shoulder guided her towards the motel reception he had come from only minutes before.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much to everyone for the lovely comments and all the kudos on the last chapter. It absolutely blew me away so thank you!

Stepping back into the motel reception with his hand still resting protectively on the girl’s small shoulder David was suddenly overcome with the realisation of how out of his depth he was here. He didn’t know how to look after a kid! What if she started to cry or something?

Unsure of what else to do he led her over to the couch he had been seated on what felt like a thousand years ago but was really only minutes before. Together they sat tentatively on the worn couch, the young girl sitting so close to David that her body was pressed hard against his side. 

David found he didn’t mind. 

He had the sudden urge to wrap his arm around her shoulders before he pushed that insane thought from his mind.

He cleared his throat, suddenly needing to fill the silence of the room. 

“So, uhm..” he started feeling awkward, his heart beating fast. “My name’s David… if you… uh wanted to know that” he rambled. “You, uh, might not have wondered but, uh, that is - “

He broke off when they heard the sound of sirens in the distance.

Oh god. How was he going to handle this?

At that same moment he felt the young girl grab his hand that had been resting on his knee, with a kind of desperation, her eyes wide as she now looked up and stared at the door.

“Oh! No, you’re okay! It’s okay!’ David stammered out. 

He suddenly felt the same fierce protectiveness that he had felt outside take over again and the insane idea that he would never let anything happen to this girl flashed through his mind before he pushed it away. 

_What was that_?

Gripping her hand back firmly David turned further around to face her a little better. Her eyes flicked to his for the first time for a moment before moving back to stare at the door again.

“I’m not going to let them come back in here” David said, with a sudden fierceness.

“Do you want to tell me your name?” He asked softly after a moment, the sound of the sirens getting louder before cutting out and the sound of gravel under tires could be heard letting David know that the police had arrived. “It’s okay if you don’t.”

“Muh-Maisie” the young girl beside him stammered out softly.

David felt a small jolt hearing her speak for the first time, trusting him.

He smiled softly as her eyes met his again, tears drying on her face.

David looked properly at the small girl beside him for the first time since all of this started.

Maisie was skinny with shoulder length dark brown to black hair with what appeared to be bangs pushed haphazardly out of the way. David didn’t know if she was tall or short. What size are kids meant to be? But she had come up to somewhere between his elbow and shoulder he thought. 

She had big brown eyes that seemed to want to broadcast her emotions but she wouldn’t let them show. She had a small neat nose with a dusting of freckles. 

She was pale. 

David definitely hadn’t had a childhood of climbing trees but he assumed most kids got at least some form of a tan from just general time outdoors. 

Her dark hair was greasy and hung heavily around her face. It looked like it hadn’t been washed for quite a while. 

She wore ill-fitting, cheap blue jeans and a green shapeless t-shirt that was covered in dust.

The thought flashed across David’s mind that he should be concerned that she was leaning right up against his favourite Dries Van Noten sweater while covered in god knows what.

He didn’t care.

The door to the reception opened abruptly and Maisie flinched. 

David had moved before he had time to process what he was doing and put his arm protectively around the girl’s shoulders. 

Into the room came Johnny followed by Stevie and Earl, the local cop who had started covering the Schitt’s Creek area about seven months before. Roland, for some unknown reason, came in behind them all.

Stevie looked pointedly at David sitting on the couch; his arm wrapped around Maisie who had her gaze firmly down on her knees again. She had leaned even further into David when everyone had entered the room and she was now half buried in his side.

David felt his cheeks go pink and he averted his gaze from Stevie’s.

“Alright!” said Earl in a booming, friendly voice. “Who do we have here then?” he smiled.

Earl was in his early 50s, about 6’1 with greying hair and a little overweight in his police uniform. He was a loud and jolly man who never seemed annoyed by anything he came across. David could not relate. Since taking over whatever post it was that included looking after the Schiit’s Creek area (David honestly did not know the details on that) Earl spent quite a bit of time in the town making friends. 

When David had first met him he had honestly been a little confused. He didn’t think he had seen anyone in uniform in town in the entire time he had lived here up until Earl. David still wasn’t quite sure what the appeal was for Earl but was now used to seeing him several times a week in the Cafe or chatting with Bob. He also came into Rose Apothecary at least once a week to buy either the unpasteurised brie they stocked or their Lavender Hibiscus tea for his wife. 

Maisie had shrunken a little under Earl’s focus but let her eyes meet David’s for a moment. 

He gave her a small, soft smile.

“This is Maisie” he said softly to the room at large.

“Oh! Well now isn’t that something!” said Johnny with a touch too much enthusiasm.

David rolled his eyes to himself.

“Hello Maisie, it’s nice to meet you’’, Earl spoke more gently this time. “Now I understand from what Mr Rose and Ms Budd here have told me that you’ve had quite the day today, hm?”

Maisie stayed silent and Earl turned his gaze back towards the adults in the room.

“The foster parents have been taken into custody” he told them.

“Foster parents?” David asked unexpectedly. He regretted speaking when she felt Maisie jump a little under his arm at the words but she stayed pressed to his side.

“Yeah,” Earl spoke again, “I ran their names and got the low down on the situation. 

“Maisie here hasn’t had the easiest time of it,” he continued. “Looks like there’d been a few complaints against the foster parents but nothing had come of the investigations yet. There’ll be no going back from this though”

David felt more than saw maisie shrink slightly beside him as everyone else in the room continued to talk about her as though she wasn’t there.

Okay, enough.

“We’re going outside!” David said suddenly, startling his father who looked around at David with wide eyes, clearly having forgotten about Maisie in the room.

Stevie looked down guiltily even though she hadn’t spoken since entering the room.

His arm still around Maisie’s shoulders, David stood and led her towards the door.

David dropped his arm as they began to cross the parking lot, suddenly feeling awkward now that they weren’t on the couch anymore.

Maisie stayed close by his side as they walked.

Once they sat side by side on the curb at the edge of the parking lot, Maisie pulled her knees up to her chest protectively and David wasn’t sure what to do next.

What was he doing? How do you talk to a kid? What are you supposed to say to make it better?

He was the last person who should be left alone with a scared kid. For some reason Maisie didn’t seem to mind though. David forced his mounting panic back down and took a deep breath.

He could just talk to her like he would anyone right? Like an adult? Were you not supposed to do that? 

David had no idea but he hadn’t seemed to screw it up yet and there was no one else here to tell him what to do.

“Sorry about.... all of that” David said.

Maisie met his gaze and David noticed that she was trembling, her eyes full of tears.

Oh god. Okay.

David took a deep breath.

Realisation suddenly swallowed David whole; Maisie didn’t have anyone. Her only guardians had just been arrested for trying to hurt her, probably not for the first time, and now here she was at a strange motel in the middle of nowhere with this rag tag group of so called responsible adults (David has serious reservations about considering himself, Stevie or Roland responsible grown ups).

No matter how scared David was of screwing this up he knew that it didn’t matter. The only thing that mattered was this little girl all alone in the world. For some reason she seemed to trust David. It didn’t matter how foolish a choice David thought himself for this role; he was in it now and he could either leave Maisie all alone or he could step up and try his best for her.

So he tried.

“Maisie, can I give you a hug? Would you.. would you like a hug? It’s okay if- oof!” Maisie threw herself into David, her arms around his neck clinging to him while she broke down sobbing.

David felt tears prickling at his own eyes. He wrapped his arms firmly around the shaking girl and rested his cheek on the top of her head. 

“I’ve got you, you’re okay, let it all out.” It vaguely occurred to David that he was parroting what Patrick usually said to him when he was in a similar state. 

David had never felt like this before. It felt as though his own heart had opened up and enveloped Maisie. He wanted nothing more than to take her pain from her, to promise her she would always be safe and loved. But he couldn’t. So he just held her even tighter.

A few minutes later Maisie’s sobs had subsided but she still clung to David. He didn’t mind. 

“What’s going to happen?” she asked.

Oh how David wished he had an answer for that. He didn’t want to lie to her though.

“I don’t know Maisie. But you’re going to go somewhere where you’ll be safe. Your foster parents won’t be allowed near you ever again.”

“It doesn’t matter,” Maisie said softly, “I’ll just go somewhere else and it won’t be that different. It never is.”

David swore he could feel his heart breaking. He stayed silent.

After a moment Maisie pulled back swiping at her cheeks. “I’m sorry”.

“That’s okay” he smiled softly at her. Before he realised what he was doing he’d reached forward and gently brushed her cheek with his thumb.

Before David had time to process his action he heard his Dad.

“Son?” Johnny called walking across the parking lot in their direction.

David turned to Maisie and gave her what he hoped was an encouraging smile and rolled his eyes playfully. Her lips quirked into the hint of a smile.

“I’ll be right back?” he told her, somewhat uncertainly.

Standing and walking to meet Johnny in the middle of the parking lot he looked at his father questioningly.

“”So, uh, how is she?” Johnny asked, sounding unsure.

David shrugged slightly, resisting the urge to glance back to Maisie. 

“What, em, what is the plan? What’s going to happen?” David asked.

“Well son, that’s certainly the question of the hour isn’t it?”

David, raised his eyebrows slightly in question.

Johnny, looking uncomfortable, shuffled his feet. 

“Well, as it turns out, Earl’s wife is some sort of head social worker for the area so he knows a few things about these kinds of cases…” he began, “it seems there is something of a lack of places available with families in the area right now...”

“What? How is that possible?”

“I know son” Johnny said placatingly. 

Suddenly looking a little sheepish Johnny carried on, “There, erm, seems there could be an alternative solution for the time being.. Earl mentioned he could, perhaps, push some paperwork through to allow temporary emergency guardianship to be granted…perhaps to someone Earl would vouch for, a respected business owner in the town for example..”

 _Wait_.

“I’m sorry?! Are you suggesting-” David couldn’t even finish that insane question. His heart raced. This was _madness_. No one in their right mind would allow David to be responsible for… No. No, this was too much.

But then David’s earlier thought came back to him; who else did Maisie have? There was no question that this was a _terrible_ idea and he was already imagining all the ways this could go wrong. But what would happen to her if he said no? 

Maisie seemed to trust him to some extent, maybe she could spend some more time around David just for a day or two until she felt less upset. They could take that time to find decent foster parents for her who would look after her and love her, if the alternative was rushing her off to god knows where this afternoon.

“Well, now, it _was_ Roland’s idea son…” Johnny said, sounding unsure. “And I know perhaps not something that you would be the most comfortable with. Children require a lot of care…” 

“Yes, Dad, I know” David said

“But maybe Patrick could take point on this for the time being? Even just this evening would I’m sure be-”

“Yes, _Dad_ , it’s _fine_ ” David said flippantly while feeling anything but flippant on the inside, his heart beating fast.

“Oh. Well.. well that’s great son!” said Johnny enthusiastically, clearly not expecting such a ready acceptance of the plan from David.

“I’ll just… I’m going to call Patrick…”

“Oh, yes, of course son” said Johnny clapping him on the shoulder with a small smile on his lips.

David averted his eyes, not sure how he was feeling and certainly not ready to be feeling the things he was feeling under his father’s gaze.

David stepped away from his Dad who was still smiling in his direction as he pulled out his phone. He glanced towards where Maisie was still sitting on the curb, her arms wrapped protectively around her knees pulled up to her chest. She looked small. He gave her a small smile twisting at the corner of his mouth before looking away towards his phone.

He _really_ needed to call Patrick.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We are definitely taking some liberties here with how the foster care system works so please excuse that for the sake of the story!


	3. Chapter 3

To say that Patrick was not expecting to get a phone call from his husband at 4pm on a Thursday, speaking a mile a minute, to ask him if he was okay with them caring for a traumatised nine year old for the evening would have been an understatement.

Patrick had managed to get the basic details out of a shaky David before he’d had to end the call to speak with Earl. 

Patrick stood behind the register in his empty store looking off into the middle distance. 

Picking up his phone again he listened to it ring out before a voice picked up.

“Hello?”

“Stevie, what-“

“Patrick! Are you okay?” Stevie replied I’m a hurried tone.

“Yes... are you? What’s... Stevie I need you to explain a few things to me here because I’m sensing David may be feeling in a little over his head and I need to know what I’m going home to right now?”

There was silence on the line for a moment. 

“Patrick you should have seen him with her,” Stevie replied uncharacteristically softly. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen him like that. Patrick, he flew towards this couple who were _screaming_ at this poor kid, grabbing at her... He got in the way of a punch for that girl-”

“ _What_?!”  
Stevie went on as if he hadn’t spoken; “David just... took control of the situation. He got that little girl out of there and she just _clung_ onto him... she’s still glued to his side right now. Patrick I’ve never seen him like this”, she said again.

Patrick felt his heart squeeze with a mixture of grief and pride for his beautiful, kindhearted husband and this little girl he had yet to meet. He closed his eyes for a moment. 

After finishing his call with Stevie and tidying the store for the end of day he was locking the doors when his phone lit up with an incoming call from David.

He answered immediately.

“David? Are you okay?”

“Yeah, yes, I.. um.. could you do something for me?”

“Yes! Of course, what do you need?” Patrick asked.

“Maisie, she uhm, I just realised that she doesn’t really have anything... Like clothes I mean, or like, I don’t know; a toothbrush. There’re a few things of hers left in the motel room but she doesn’t seem to want to take them and I don’t want to force her to take things that maybe remind her of those people or-“ David rambled, getting out of breath.

“Honey!” Patrick interrupted, “I will go and get what she needs.”

“Okay”, David breathed.

“David? I love you,” he said softly. Patrick heard David let out a breath.

“I love you too”.

“I’ll be home soon. Are you going to be okay until I get there?” Patrick asked.

“Yeah. Yes, we’ll be fine.” Patrick noted David’s use of “we”, including Maisie already, but didn’t say anything.

...

Thirty minutes later, Patrick had a shopping cart filled with three pairs of pyjamas, underwear, socks, a pair of jeans, two pairs of black leggings and a pair of high waisted cut-off denim shorts with small flowers embroidered at the pockets. 

They reminded him of childhood and riding bikes with his friends. 

He also bought several T-shirts, two hoodies, a cardigan and a denim jacket. 

He was in Walmart because it would have everything he needed in one place and he could get home quickly. He also knew, however, that David would have an aneurysm at the thought of him shopping in the store. 

Well, David could go shopping next time.

Having filled his cart with everything he needed, including some kid friendly foods (mainly sugary cereal and popsicles) as well as toiletries (toothbrush and kids toothpaste, strawberry scented shampoo and body wash) he was walking towards the checkout when a stand of fluffy blankets caught his eye. 

This whole shopping trip so far he had been in Practical Patrick mode, suddenly he imagined the little girl he had yet to meet. 

Turning his cart right back around he did a lap of the store once again. This time adding a lilac coloured fluffy blanket, hair scrunchies, a 6 pack of fluffy socks, colouring pencils and a nice sketch pad and black framed sunglasses with little sunflowers on the hinge. 

Wanting to get Maisie something fun she could enjoy, he wandered the toy aisle. Patrick was quickly overwhelmed with all the options, not knowing the little girl or her interests. He was about to give up when a colourful box on the shelf caught his eye. It was a friendship bracelet making kit just like the ones he remembered his cousins having when they were kids. Putting it in his cart he finally began to walk in the direction of the checkout to pay for his shopping and return home to his husband and to meet the little girl he seemed so taken by.

...

When Patrick walked in his front door 45 minutes later he was greeted by the sound of his husband speaking, he was telling the story of the baseball game that Patrick had roped David into playing years before. Patrick smiled to himself as he got closer to the kitchen and could see David, arms gesticulating wildly, as he spoke. 

He was standing, facing the doorway Patrick was now in, leaning against the kitchen island as he focused on a dark haired child sitting on a stool in front of him. By each of them on the island were dinner plates with what looked like the remains of pizza crusts on them.

“Hi”, Patrick said softly from the doorway and two sets of eyes flew to him.

“Oh, she, uh, saw your glove for the baseball and asked if I play”, David said, gesturing to the baseball glove hanging on a hook by the back door. “I was explaining why me playing the sports was not a good idea”.

Patrick smiled at his husband, “Hey, you won us that game if I remember correctly,” he said moving into the room.

He turned to face the little girl whose unfocused gaze was fixed on the wall behind him.  
“Hi, It’s really nice to meet you,” he smiled gently. 

“Patrick, this is Maisie.” There was a warmth to David’s voice when he said it that Patrick couldn’t quite identify, “Maisie, this is my husband Patrick”.

Her eyes flicked to his for a moment before moving away again; “hi”.

David moved closer to Patrick, “Hi” he breathed, looking into his husband’s eyes. 

Patrick looked at David, he took in his slightly red rimmed eyes and put a hand on his face for a moment, thumb caressing his cheek once before he let his hand drop, conscious of the little girl next to them.

...

Later that afternoon, after cleaning up from lunch they were watching The Princess Diaries. The movie had been chosen once David discovered Maisie had never seen it (Patrick had a feeling David was putting together a list of movies for Maisie in his head to “educate” her on the wonders of his favorite leading ladies).

Patrick found himself watching Maisie and his husband together. 

Maisie hadn’t left David’s side all day, seeming to instinctively glance toward him for comfort any time she was unsure. As for David, he seemed unaware of how comfortable he was around the young girl; casually placing a warm hand onto her shoulder or, as was currently happening, allowing her to sit close to him on the couch, the two of them leaning into each other ever so slightly.

Patrick had to tear his eyes away, not wanting either of them to notice him watching and become self conscious. He felt as though he was seeing a side to his husband he hadn’t known existed until today. In fact he was fairly certain it was a side that David himself hadn’t known existed either.

As the movie reached its climax, Princess Mia giving her speech to a room full of tuxedos and evening gowns while soaking wet, dressed in a hoodie and Doc Martens, Patrick smiled to himself at how intently Maisie was staring at the screen. 

To be fair though David too was acting like he hadn’t seen this movie 87 times before and was thoroughly invested in how the story would end. 

As the movie wrapped up, Patrick quietly left the room to get the bags of shopping from his car. 

Maisie watched Patrick silently as he set the bags down in the middle of the room. 

“David told me you didn’t have much with you so we thought you might like a few new things”.

A look of surprise spread over Maisie’s face and she glanced at David as though asking him for confirmation.

David nudged her gently, “you better go have a look and see what Patrick picked out. He’s definitely not the one with the fashion sense in the relationship”.

Patrick grinned at him and he caught a small laugh from Maisie. It felt a little like winning the lottery.

Slowly, Maisie left the couch and crouched down next to the three bags. She pulled out the denim jacket, running a hand over its stitching as though it were made of gold. 

David’s enthusiasm with each item of clothing Maisie took from the bags eventually won her over and she was soon smiling as she stood, holding her new blue t-shirt up in front of her as though modeling it.

Soon all the clothes had been taken from their bags and folded carefully on the floor. 

“I also thought you deserved a few things that were a little more fun too”, Patrick said. David looked at him in surprise, a smile blooming over his face.

Pushing the final bag closer to her, Maisie took out her new fluffy purple blanket feeling its softness. “Thank you” she said smiling and meeting Patrick’s eyes properly for the first time. He had the sudden urge to give her a hug.

“You’re welcome”.

David got as excited as Maisie it seemed when he saw the friendship bracelet kit. 

“Ooh! I haven’t made one of those since I was 27! I bet I know better patterns than whatever ones they give you in the kit; I can show you how to make one that incorporates little hearts all the way along. Oh! And how to put your name in the bracelet”, he said in excitement. 

Patrick laughed as Maisie’s eyes shone.

...

A few hours later Patrick sat on the end of his and David’s bed, looking out into the hall where he could hear David explaining to Maisie how to work the shower, piling her high with more soft towels than she could possibly need and, to Patrick’s utter astonishment, giving her a sample size of David’s favorite conditioner with abbreviated instructions on how to use it after Patrick pointed out that David’s own conditioning regime might be a little much for a nine year old to follow.

Once Maisie was in the bathroom and the shower was running an exhausted looking David came in and sat heavily beside Patrick on the bed. He leaned his forehead into the dip of Patrick’s neck. He let out a shaky sigh.

Patrick planted a kiss to his temple while he stroked a hand through David’s hair.

“Are you okay?”

“I… yes? And no. Can we wait until later though? If I start to talk about it I’ll probably cry and she’s going to be back out here in a few minutes”.

“Not if she follows your conditioning process”, he teased, “if she does that we have at least 40 minutes”.

David huffed a laugh into Patrick’s shoulder. 

“I really love you, you know”, he said after a moment.

Patrick turned to kiss him properly, trying to pour all the comfort and love he could into the kiss. He felt David relax into it and he knew he was succeeding.

The kiss slowed until David pressed a closed mouth kiss to Patrick’s cheek and stood up to begin his skin care regime.

...

David was walking out of their en suite bathroom when a wet haired, pyjama clad Maisie tentatively moved into their doorway.

“Hi honey, you all ready?” Patrick asked, the pet name surprising him.

Maisie nodded but Patrick noticed that her wet hair was dripping slowly onto the neck of her pyjama top. 

“You want some help drying your hair?”, Patrick asked while moving towards the drawer where David kept his hair dryer. Maisie hesitated, looking unsure, before she gave a small nod, moving further into the room.

Patrick plugged in the hair dryer and motioned for Maisie to come and sit on the bed near him. “I forgot to buy her a hairbrush!”, he suddenly said turning to David who was leaning on the door frame of the bathroom and smiling softly at him.

“We can grab one from the store tomorrow. Until then we can use my round brush”, he said moving back into the en suite to retrieve it. “It’s not perfect but it’ll do for now”.

Patrick took the hairbrush gratefully as Maisie watched them curiously. 

“Is it okay if I brush your hair and then help you dry it with the hair dryer?” Patrick asked, careful to let her make the decision, but Maisie nodded easily.

There was something soothing about the repetitive task of brushing and running the hair dryer down Maisie’s hair. It also felt like quite an intimate moment between Patrick and the small girl. He felt a sudden rush of affection for her.

When they were finished, David and Patrick walked together with her to the guest room across the hallway.

Patrick noticed that Maisie had already carefully arranged the few belongings she now had, thanks to Patrick, on her bedside table. Her new lilac blanket was now draped across the bed; laid carefully, without a crease to be seen. For some reason it made Patrick want to cry; seeing how carefully she treated these few belongings. It made him wonder how few items, that were truly _hers_ , had she ever had before? 

“We’ll leave the light on in the hall and you know where our room is, if you need anything at all just come in okay?” Patrick told Maisie and she climbed into bed. He stood at the foot of her bed while David stood by Maisie at the head, watching her carefully as she got settled.

Maisie nodded, she met Patrick’s eyes easily now and it made him feel a swell of emotion inside.

Patrick watched David seeming to war with himself for a moment before he suddenly leaned down and gave Maisie a quick hug, Maisie gripping him back tightly for a moment. 

Taking David’s hand as they moved towards the door they both looked back for a moment to the young girl who seemed so small in the big bed.

“Goodnight.”  
“Sleep Well.”

...

Stepping over the threshold of their bedroom David seemed to just deflate, all the air rushing out of him. Patrick softly closed the door behind them and took his husband into his arms, David’s forehead resting on Patrick’s shoulder.

For a moment they both just stood there, then Patrick felt David shake a little in his arms. 

“Oh baby’, Patrick breathed into David’s neck, David’s breath hitched before he let out a sob.

Patrick guided them towards the bed where he lay them down side-by-side. David buried his face into Patrick’s chest and he sobbed harder.

“I’ve got you Honey, let it out”, Patrick spoke softly into David’s hair. He felt silent tears falling down his own cheeks.

When David’s sobs had subsided they stayed in the same position while David began to tell Patrick what had happened that morning. 

...

“I don’t know what-“ David trailed off. He took a deep breath and continued, “all I know is that from the moment I saw her, protected her, I just felt this... connection to her... I know it sounds crazy.”

“No-” Patrick interrupted.

“Earl said his wife is going to come over tomorrow morning to get us to sign something.. for emergency foster parent status,” David continued as though Patrick hadn’t spoken. “They told me it only had to be for tonight..” he trailed off.

“Is that what you want?”, Patrick asked after a moment, unsure of what he expected or wanted the answer to be.

There was a heavy silence before David spoke again, “I don’t-”, his voice broke. “Patrick, we can’t, _I_ can’t-” he took a deep breath. “No one would ever look at _me_ and think-” he broke off again not seeming to be able to finish the thought aloud.

“ _David_ ,” Patrick said softly but firmly, “forget about anyone _else_. Close your eyes for a moment, think about what you’re feeling, what you’re thinking..”

David was silent for so long Patrick wasn’t sure he was going to speak again when David began, his voice more confident than he had sounded so far this evening.

“I don’t know what to do or what we’re meant to do or what she needs... all I know is that.. I want to keep her safe. I want to just... give her a big hug and never let her go..?” David gave a teary chuckle. 

“You don’t need to have all the answers right now David. I don’t know anyone who _could_ have all the answers. Why don’t we speak with Earl’s wife tomorrow? We can ask her what she thinks?”

David nodded thoughtfully. Then, suddenly, David sat up and looked at Patrick with wide eyes.

“Patrick, _you_ didn’t ask for any of this. God. I just.. laid all of this on you and now there’s a kid sleeping in our house!” David said, looking up at Patrick looking as though he was seeing the day through a new lens for the first time.

“Hey, hey, David, stop”, pulling himself up to a seated positon Patrick stroked a hand down the side of David’s face in reassurance.

“I am not going to lie to you and tell you that today, all of today, wasn’t completely unexpected David. Because it was. But.. I wouldn’t have wanted any of this to go any other way. I’m so, so glad that you were able to bring Maisie here, that we could make her feel safe even if it's just for a little while.’ 

Patrick took a deep breath and continued, “I’m not sure either what way I see this going, or even what way I _want_ this to go”, he chuckled self consciously. “David, everything that happened today was so far out of the realm of what we know for _both_ of us. Let’s talk to Earl’s wife tomorrow and then go from there?”

David nodded, looking at Patrick with so much love. 

“Whatever happens here David we need to keep talking to each other about what we’re thinking, what we’re feeling. If we don’t, this is going to get very messy and the last thing I want in the world is to end up hurting you or hurting that little girl”, Patrick said, his throat tight.

He swallowed.

David looked at Patrick, he pressed a firm kiss to his mouth, “I promise. We keep talking to each other; communicating.”

“Communicating”, Patrick agreed before pulling David into a hug.

They stood, moving around each other with ease as they got ready for bed.

Lying in each other's arms that night neither was sure what to expect from the next day, but they both knew that something had permanently shifted within each of them.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> David and Patrick meet with the social worker

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so, so much to everyone has read so far and especially all of those who have taken the time to comment or leave kudos. I am completely blown away by your response so far.

When David awoke the next morning it took a moment for the events of the day before to come back to him. When they did he felt a rush of nerves and excitement flood his body. Pushing those emotions away to unpack later, David sat up in his bed, stretching and rubbing his eyes.

He looked at the clock on his bedside table - it was 8:55. Patrick wasn’t in bed next to him.

Sleepily pulling himself from his warm bed David moved towards the bathroom, using the toilet and brushing his teeth (because morning breath anywhere other than _in_ bed right after waking is _incorrect_ ) he headed downstairs. David long ago stopped feeling the need to wear anything other than his pyjamas and bed-head downstairs in the morning. It was just Patrick and Maisie. And it was his house.

As he descended the stairs, the sounds of two quiet voices greeted him from the kitchen. Affection warmed his insides.

Maisie was seated on the same high seat at the kitchen island she had yesterday for lunch. She was looking at Patrick who stood across the island from her as she ate cereal from a bowl. 

“...later if you want to..” Patrick was saying to the little girl when he looked up and saw David.

A small smile lit up his face, “Good Morning David”. Maisie twisted around in her seat to look towards David in the doorway. “Morning”, David replied, he met Maisie’s eye with a small smile.

“What are we doing later?” He asked, remembering what Patrick had been saying when he walked into the room. 

Patrick laughed, “Well _Maisie and I_ were considering throwing a baseball around a little later.” 

David made a face that made Maisie let out a little giggle. “Um, I think I’ll remain the spectator for that particular activity”, he said.

“Thought you might”, Patrick replied with a laugh.

David looked over at what was in Maisie’s bowl as he said down next to her. “How come you bought Maisie Frosted Flakes?” he demanded to Patrick, “you never let me buy it!” 

“That’s because Maisie is nine, David,” he grinned. “You can have some today _only_ if Maisie says you’re allowed to steal some of _her_ cereal,” Patrick said as he handed David a bowl he’d just taken from the cabinet behind him.

With a giggle Maisie said, “he’s allowed”. David turned and beamed at her. She went a little pink and looked back down at her cereal as she ate, with a smile on her lips.

“Playing baseball would be fun”, Maisie offered to Patrick a moment later, looking up at him shyly. 

David could see that Patrick was taken aback for a moment at Maisie being so forthright after being so quiet and shy the day before but he covered it quickly and gave her a big smile.

“After breakfast then. It’ll be fun to have someone around who wants to play sports with me,” Patrick said teasingly, throwing a grin at David who rolled his eyes in response and pursed his lips to hold back his smile.

An hour later David was sitting on the top step of their back porch watching as Maisie and Patrick stood 15 feet apart; staring intently at each other as Maisie carefully raised her right leg, as Patrick had shown her, and used her left arm to swing above her head. The ball glided out of her hand and towards Patrick. It’s the furthest the ball has made it so far and Patrick let out an excited whoop as he moved to catch Maisie’s ball before it hit the ground. 

Patrick hurried over towards Maisie who was grinning as Patrick congratulated her on her ball throwing skills. David doesn’t really understand the mechanics of what they’re doing but it’s clear that Maisie is enjoying herself. 

David felt a swoop of emotion in his gut as he watched his husband and the little girl talk together animatedly, Patrick’s hand on her shoulder as he demonstrated a throw.

He’s taken away from his watching when he feels his phone vibrate in his pocket.

David suddenly just _knew_ that it’s the social worker calling to let him know that she is on the way. His stomach plummeted and he was momentarily lightheaded. 

The knowledge flashes through his mind, with sudden clarity, that he cannot just hand Maisie over to her and let her leave. _Where did that come from?_ But in that same moment he felt the certainty of it wash over him. He was stunned by the strength of his own reaction but couldn’t shake the thought. He needs more time. But what is he even considering here? This was always supposed to just be temporary. He had only agreed to one night. 

But the idea of someone taking Maisie away when she’s just started to open up with him and Patrick…

How will David be sure that Maisie is _safe_ and cared for somewhere else if she leaves? 

Who will watch The Princess Diaries 2 with her?

Hand trembling slightly David slowly reached into his pocket and pulled out his phone. 

The _flood_ of relief that rushed through his whole body upon seeing Stevie’s name on the screen took his breath away.

“Hello?” his voice sounded a little hoarse to his own ears.

“So how is fatherhood treating you?”

For a moment David couldn’t speak. When David didn’t answer, Stevie tried again, sounding more hesitant, “David?”

“Stevie.. I’m panicking.”

“Like _panic attack_ panicking or _I-impulsively-took-responsiblilty-for-little-kid-and-am-now-questioning-everything_ panicking?”

“Uh… the second one. I think.”

“You think?”

“I don’t want her to leave!” He burst out.

Stevie was silent for a moment. Suddenly the words were pouring out of David.

“I don’t want the social worker to take her away. She was so scared yesterday and now she's playing baseball with Patrick and she’s _smiling_ and she can’t just _leave_ but what does that _mean_? This wasn't ever how things were supposed to go but now there’s this little kid in my house and we’re watching movies and playing _sports_ and Patrick bought her Frosted Flakes and _I don’t hate it Stevie._ Why don’t I hate it? This is not what I do! This is… I don’t _like_ kids. I don’t want to have to _deal_ with kids. David Rose and small humans are not compatible!”

“David! Breathe!”

He sucked in a shuddery breath and waited for Stevie to speak.

“You’re not the same David Rose I met when you first got to town and you’re also not the same David Rose that you were when you married Patrick, neither is he. People change, it’s _okay_ to change. If you like having her around, you like having her around. Stop overthinking it.” 

David snorted, Stevie ignored him. 

“You don’t even know that this social worker is going to _want_ to take her somewhere else... Stop trying to self sabotage and go nag Patrick.” 

David huffed out a reluctant laugh. 

After speaking with Stevie for a few more minutes he had to admit that he felt better. Trying to enjoy the rest of the morning, he sat back and watched as his husband and Maisie played together. 

And if he found himself taking a picture or two? It was only because they were so cute together.

Two hours later, while Patrick tidied up after lunch David sat with Maisie at the kitchen table. In front of them was an impressive mess of coloured threads and small beads sorted in little bags by colour.

“Okay,” David was saying, “that’s it…. Now don’t forget to hold this thread tight when you're tying the blue threat onto it… That’s it!”

Maisie had a look of great concentration on her face as she and David sat side by side as she attempted to make her first bracelet from the kit Patrick had bought her. 

David was genuinely impressed by how quickly she was picking up the craft as he watched her frown in concentration as she looped her blue thread around her yellow.

David heard Patrick’s phone ring and watched as he stepped outside to answer it.

A few minutes later he stepped back inside and looked to David who instantly understood: it had been the social worker on the phone, she was on the way. Patrick let his eyes flick from David to Maisie and he raised his brows in question.

David nodded and turned to Maisie, “Hey, Maisie,” he began. “A social worker is going to come to our house in a little while-” Maisie’s gaze flew to his in alarm, her eyes wide.

Before she could panic any further, he hurriedly continued, “she’s just coming to have a chat and to have us sign some paperwork to say that we were allowed to have you stay with us last night,” he said. David was careful to word his response in such a way that he was only talking about her staying with them last night, because as much as he was realising he wanted her to stay for longer he had no idea what the social worker would have to say on the subject. He hadn’t even had a chance to talk to Patrick this morning about anything yet.

Maisie seemed to accept his answer though and while she still seemed a little tenser than she had been five minutes before she went back to making her bracelet.

When the doorbell rang twenty minutes later Maisie’s eyes flew up to meet David’s again.

Patrick moved to answer the door while David smiled at Maisie; a comforting hand on her shoulder, “you can wait here and keep making your bracelet if you like,” he said as he stood to follow Patrick. 

The door opened on a kind looking, dark haired woman in her late forties. She was a little shorter than Patrick, had small lines at the corners of her eyes and a round face. She looked like someone who spent a lot of their life laughing. David immediately felt warm towards her.

“Hi, I’m Maeve,” she held out her hand to shake both of theirs and they introduced themselves while they ushered her into their home. 

Once she was seated in the sitting room with a cup of coffee David waited to see where the conversation was going to go.

Maeve took a sip of her coffee before pulling a large black ring binder from her bag. “So,” she began, “first things first. I have some papers here for you both to sign that allows temporary emergency guardianship as you discussed with Earl I believe?” 

David nodded.

“To be clear, I usually never do what we did yesterday. It was only with _strong_ vouching from my husband, as well as the nature of the situation, that I allowed you both the care for Maisie yesterday without first having the appropriate documentation. So we fix that now.” She handed both men forms to fill in and sign.

When they had done so and Maeve had read over and approved of the papers she looked back up at David and Patrick and let out a small sigh, “As I’m sure you can both appreciate this is something of a unique situation and we are currently in a difficult spot in regards to alternative placements for Maisie.”

David swallowed, waiting for her to continue.

“There are currently no available placements with foster families in the county; all my foster families already have the maximum number of children in their care. So, now I am left with finding an appropriate place for Maisie. There is the option of a group home in Elmglen. But I will be frank with you, I prefer to place my children in families first before a group home and they can be... difficult environments for many children. As you have both already been approved as carers for Maisie,” she waved a hand to the forms they had just signed with a wry smile, “it is an option that Maisie stay with you both for the time being. Emergency foster carer status is usually only granted for short periods until a more permanent solution can be found which is what we would be doing here if you were agreeable. Typically in cases like these you would only be expected to care for Maisie for a month at most,” Maeve said.

David didn’t know what to say. This is not what he had expected of today's visit; his head was swimming with possibilities. And with hope. He turned to Patrick who was already looking at him, an open expression on his face.

“I’ll give you two a moment.” Maeve interrupted. “I need to have a chat with Maisie before I leave anyway.”

“Oh, of course,” Patrick told her, “go right ahead.”

Maeve stood and left the room, closing the door behind her. 

“David? I need to know what you’re thinking.”

David found himself _really_ wanting to know what Patrick was thinking about all of this before he answered.

But, gathering his courage, David met Patrick’s eyes and said, “I don’t want her to just _leave_ ; not yet. She’s just getting happy here, look at how she was with you in the garden this morning.”

Patrick looked at David with such open affection that David felt Patrick’s love for him filling him up, making him brave.

“I want that too David,” he said. “I can’t imagine sending her away, especially if we’d be sending her to that group home… We can keep her happy and safe here while they wait on a permanent place for her.”

The strength of David’s relief at Patrick’s answer should have scared him, but David was getting used to feeling new things when it came to Maisie.

Maeve returned to the room several minutes later and after they told her their decision they brought Maisie into the room. Maeve asked her if she would be okay with staying here with Patrick and David for the next few weeks until they moved her to a permanent foster family.

Maisie visibly brightened, her shoulders losing their tense set.

That evening they once again sat in the sitting room to watch Anne Hathaway and Julie Andrews rule the silver screen. Patrick and David sat together on the long couch this time with Maisie between them, David couldn’t keep his mind on the screen. He felt more settled than this morning after speaking with Maeve (and honestly, with Stevie too) but his thoughts were still spinning in his head.

They had their plan in place for the time being but David couldn’t help but wonder; _what then?_

The thing was, David knew how it felt to feel left behind. To be a kid with no one in your corner, or a least no one you could count on being there forever. Sure he’d had the money and houses and vacations but he was still just a little kid who needed to be safe and loved and in a stable environment.

He’d had Adelina when he was young and he had loved her, she basically raised him. But even as a child he knew that having Adelina in his life was dependent on his mother who was always known for her moods and making decisions on a whim. Adelina was his parent but at any moment she could be taken from him. And she was. One day she didn’t come back. His mother had decided he and Alexis were too old for a nanny. And from then on they were on their own.

Well, he was. Alexis still had David to look out for her. David had no one. 

David’s heart squeezed at the thought of leaving Maisie alone the way Adelina had. It wasn’t Adelina’s fault. But she had still left him.

“I really like Joe,” Maisie’s voice broke into his reverie watching the screen with rapt attention.

Pulling himself back to the present he focused on the time he had here and now with Maisie and Patrick.

“Joe is my favourite character in both of these movies,” Patrick said, surprising David.

“Oh really?” he asked with a grin.

He gave David a cheeky smile as though daring David to challenge him before he abruptly said; “I’m going to make some popcorn.”

“Can I help?” Maisie asked, before immediately going bright pink and looking at the ground.

Patrick and David exchanged besotted smiles as they both took in the shy girl.

“Of course,” Patrick stood. He held out a hand to pull Maisie up and by the time they were walking out the door towards the kitchen Patrick had Maisie distracted from her embarrassment, talking about David’s particularly strong feeling on sweet popcorn flavourings.

_God he loved his husband._


	5. Chapter 5

It had been nearly three weeks since Maisie had come to stay with Patrick and David. The fact that time was moving forward so quickly in their temporary guardianship was something Patrick was trying not to focus on; doing his best to enjoy the time they all had together and not sully it by worrying about the future. But it was hard sometimes. 

All three of them had fallen so easily into a routine that Patrick had difficulty imagining going back to their life where it was just David and Patrick again…

The first two days Maisie had been with them they had kept the store closed, not wanting to have any distractions to their time helping Maisie to adjust. The town in general hadn’t minded as word of their new charge had _quickly_ spread to everyone thanks to Roland. 

It did mean, however, that when they did reopen (with David and Patrick working opposite shifts so one could always be home with Maisie) that the whole town just so happened to be out of face wash and so found the opportunity to grill the two men for information.

They all meant well, they were just excited, but it didn’t make it any easier to have the same conversation over and over again. Especially when they weren’t entirely sure of all the answers themselves… _How long is she staying? Where will she go? What is your plan?_

The one question he found the easiest to answer was always the one that had the most incredulous tone; _And_ David _was okay with this?_

Despite Patrick’s initial surprise at seeing his husband so taken with the young girl so quickly it fit exactly with who he knew David to be. Regardless of all of David’s proclamations since Patrick has known him; of how he was terrible with kids, of wanting to be kept far away from all babies and avoid toddlers at all costs, Patrick knew David was one of the kindest people he had ever met. Granted, he usually tried to hide it under a cloak of snark and sarcasm to protect himself but Patrick could always see it. That David brought home a lost little girl for them to care for and protect was exactly who Patrick knew him to be.

~~~~~~

Patrick walked through the door on his lunch hour to the sound of voices and giggling coming from the sitting room. Warmth filled his chest at the sound. Maisie had opened up so fully with them in the past three weeks and it made Patrick ache when he thought about how much trust this little girl was placing on the two of them. It was something he wanted to cherish and protect. 

Coming around the corner he saw Maisie and David both sitting crossed legged in the middle of the floor facing each other. Surrounding them were discarded, empty shopping bags and neatly folded stacks of colourful clothes (several of which Patrick noted were some shade of purple. Ever since he had bought her the lilac fluffy blanket the first day that Maisie had come to stay with them Patrick noticed that she tended to gravitate towards all things purple. He still wasn’t sure if he had managed to guess correctly that first day or if it was the blanket itself that had started her love of the colour.) 

David had told Patrick that morning that he and Maisie were going to go shopping for more clothes; Patrick had only bought the bare essentials that first day and not only did Maisie _need_ more clothes but David was dying to bring her on a shopping spree and show her the joy of clothes. Judging by the _stack_ of items around the two on the floor it had been a successful trip.

“Wow!” Patrick let out and two smiling faces turned to meet his. “I got clothes!” Maisie responded happily. 

“You certainly did!”

“Maisie got to choose her own clothes for the first time in her life,” David told Patrick. His tone was light and he was still smiling for Maisie’s sake but he was communicating the _grief_ of that fact to Patrick with his eyes.

Patrick swallowed.

“Well it looks like you got to choose lots of your own clothes today Maisie” he told her, still looking at David.

“Yes! This is my favourite.” She showed Patrick a lavender top with spaghetti straps and loose, flowing cotton material, a star was formed on the front with silver matt sequins.

After that they allowed themselves to be swept up in Maisie’s excitement.

They all ate lunch together at the kitchen table; a new routine between the three of them in recent weeks. Whoever would open the store in the morning would come home for lunch before the other would leave to work in the store until closing. It was working well for them so far and even David was complaining less about having to wake up in time to open the store. It was important to both of them to switch who opened so that they would each have mornings or evenings with Maisie.

The rest of the day saw Patrick and Maisie enjoying their time together after David left for work. 

By the time he had returned in the evening Maisie and Patrick had all the makings of homemade pizza laid out over their counters. David’s eyes lit up when he saw the freshly sliced mozzarella and array of toppings; the smell of the rich tomato sauce bubbling on the stove filled the room.

“Oh my god,” he let out, “is it my birthday?”

Patrick laughed before greeting his husband with a kiss as Maisie smiled at them both.

~~~~~~

Patrick slowly blinked his eyes open taking a moment for them to adjust to the dark room. He wasn’t sure why he woke up; looking at the clock he saw it was 03:07am. He looked towards David who was still fast asleep, his face smushed into the edge of Patrick’s pillow.

Deciding to use the bathroom seeing as he was awake he stood and moved across the room. On his way back to bed he noticed light coming from Maisie’s room, spilling out into the hall from the gap of the door.

Frowning Patrick moved towards the door.

“Maisie?” he called softly, pushing the door open gently.

Sitting at the head of her bed was Maisie. She seemed to be trying to make herself as small as possible; she had her knees pulled up tightly against her chest, arms wrapped securely around them. She had her face pressed into her knees and when Patrick called her name he heard a small sob.

“Oh sweetheart,” Patrick breathed, moving into the room, hurrying now to her side.

Patrick crouched by her bedside and reached a hand over to run through her hair. Patrick was cautious. All he wanted to do was bundle her up in his arms but he wasn’t sure what had brought on her tears and didn’t want to overstep and make her uncomfortable if she was experiencing past traumas coming back up.

But he soon discovered he needn't have worried. As soon as his hand touched Maisie’s head she let out a loud sob and pitched herself sideways towards Patrick who moved quickly to catch her into his arms. He gathered Maisie into his arms and moved to sit on her bed with her. 

He rocked her gently as she cried. Pressing a kiss into her hair he asked, “What is it sweetheart? What happened?”

Maisie clutched Patrick’s shirt in her hands, he felt his t-shirt a little damp on his chest from her tears. 

“I had a dream,” she said, “a bad dream. There were scary men and they were coming.” she broke off with a hitched breath.

Patrick held her tighter, “You should have come to wake me or David.” 

Maisie was silent.

“We want to know when you’re sad,” he continued unsure what to make of her silence. “We want to be able to come and give you a hug and to help you feel better.”

After a moment he heard Maisie say, in a small voice, “I didn’t want to make you mad when I woke you up.”

Patrick felt an icy stab of shock move through him before he rationalised not to jump to conclusions. He and David had learned in the past few weeks that Maisie had complex traumas from her past that often emerged when you least expected it.

“Why would you think we’d be mad?” he asked, careful to keep his voice neutral.

Maisie was silent for a moment before she replied, “ _They_ yelled and threw stuff if I made noises at night time.” 

Maisie’s previous foster parents had come up in conversation a couple of times over the past few weeks and it never failed to leave Patrick feeling murderous. How _anyone_ could do anything to hurt or scare this incredible little girl was beyond his comprehension. And, yet, despite all she had been through here Maisie was still willing to learn to trust and to open up to Patrick and David.

“We would never get mad at you for that Maisie. The most important thing for me or David is that you feel safe and happy, okay? We will never be upset at you telling us when you’re sad or scared or unhappy.”

She nodded into his chest, her finger lightly traced the printed pattern on his t-shirt. He felt affection flair through his chest. Pressing another kiss to her hair he decided to try and get Maisie’s mind on other, happier, things.

“So what was your favourite part about shopping with David today?” he asked and Maisie immediately brightened; describing her adventures including the mall pretzels that David had introduced her to. Patrick smiled as he listened to her speak all about her day.

“And then Da- uh.. David, uh showed me the uh the necklaces they had too ” Maisie stammered going a little pink.

Patrick had the sudden thought that she was going to call David _Dad_ before she caught herself. It makes his heart clench in the best possible way. He wanted to sob and hug her all at the same time and never let her go.

He cleared his throat, “really? That's cool.” he said trying to keep his voice level.

Seeming to accept that Patrick hadn’t noticed her slip she continued on her story.

After Maisie finished telling his all about her trip she seemed in much better spirits and Patrick heard her yawn.

“Why don’t you lie back down and get comfy in your bed? I’ll stay here beside you until you fall asleep if you like?”

She nodded sleepily into his chest.

Patrick helped to tuck her back in under her blankets, watching as she nuzzled down into her pillows. He sat quietly beside her and watched her as she fell asleep, stroking a hand gently through her hair. 

It suddenly hit Patrick how much he truly loved this little girl. He knew he cared for her a great deal but it in that moment it washed over him how deeply and truly he _loved_ her with everything he had. The realisation left him a little breathless before he felt the warmth of it settle into his bones. 

After he was sure she was sleeping Patrick carefully stood up, and looked back one more time to Maisie safe in her bed before softly closing over the door and padding back to bed.


	6. Chapter 6

David was emptying the dishwasher on Monday afternoon when he heard his phone ring. When he saw Maeve, the social worker’s, name on the caller ID he called out to Patrick, knowing she would want to speak to them both. 

In the weeks since she had first come to their home Maeve had phoned every week to check in and see how they were getting on and discuss any challenges they were finding. 

David was honestly very grateful to have her support; it helped quell his anxiety to know they had her in their corner.

He answered the call as he heard Patrick coming down the stairs from where Maisie was helping him to change the sheets on both beds. 

“David, how are you?” Maeve answered with a smile in her voice.

“Hi, Maeve, we’re doing pretty well,” David said while Patrick came into the kitchen; he changed to speaker phone and Patrick chimed in with his greeting. 

David listened with a small smile while Patrick updated Maeve on what they had been doing that week; which was really listening to Patrick gush about Maisie.

David had to admit, it filled him with a lot of warm feelings to see how Patrick was with their young charge. 

David had been purposely pushing away any thoughts of what would happen to him and Patrick when it came time for Maisie to leave. Sure, it might not be the healthiest path but it was too much to even begin to unpack so he was happy in his denial for now. 

“And how have you both been managing to find a balance between caring for Maisie and finding time for each other?” Maeve’s question broke into David’s musing.

Patrick looked at David. 

“Uhm, well we all have lunch and dinner together every day.. and watch movies or spend time together outside with Maisie,” David answered.

“And it’s wonderful that you are both making sure to spend quality time together with Maisie,” Maeve responded. “But it’s important to remember yourselves and your own relationship too. In order to be there for Maisie the way she needs you have to look after yourselves first.”

Patrick looked at David, his mouth twisted into a small, wry smile as he answered. “We could, maybe, be taking a bit more time for that.”

“Okay, good. Well, then, your homework is to get a minder for Maisie and go out; for dinner, a walk, a movie, just somewhere you can spend time together and focus on something other than Maisie.”

They looked at each other; that sounded… really nice actually.

“Are we.. we weren’t sure if we were allowed to leave Maisie with anyone else..?”

“Well, of course, it must be with an appropriate adult. Do you have anyone you would be comfortable asking who would be deemed appropriate by the state? A nurse or teacher?”

That was how they found themselves an hour later making the call to Jocelyn with a favour to ask.

After talking with Jocelyn, they both sat Maisie down to explain their plan and ask if she felt okay to stay with their friend while they went out for a couple of hours. While she looked a little uncertain, Maisie insisted that she would be fine.

“You know,” Patrick said to David while they both changed for dinner later that day, “it might be good for her. She’s come out of her shell so much with us and trusts us. But she hasn’t had to really interact with anyone else yet. Maybe she can start to believe there are good people in the world if she sees it more.”

Stepping into his husband’s space, David looped his arms over his shoulders, pressing his lips to Patrick’s. Deepening the kiss, their mouths moved together for a few moments before Patrick pulled back slightly and smiled.

“We’re having a date night because we asked our friend to babysit,” Patrick grinned, “Who’d have thought this would be our life, huh?”

Feeling a swell of love for his husband, David smiled as he leaned down to press a kiss onto Patrick’s lips again.

“Hey,” he said softly, feeling a flash of nervousness that he quickly pushed aside, “in keeping with our promise of communication about Maisie… I’m kinda scared to think about our time with her running out.” He bit his lip, a little unsure.

“Mmm.. me too.”

David felt relieved that he wasn’t alone in this and met Patrick’s gaze steadily. “It's… been _nice_ having her here,” he said, using his hands for emphasis.

Pulling David a little tighter against him, Patrick smiled and opened his mouth to reply when they heard the doorbell from downstairs.

“The doorbell rang!” Maisie helpfully called from downstairs and they both huffed out a laugh.

“Come on, time to go.”

~~~~~~

Jocelyn found herself feeling a little unsure as she waited outside David and Patrick’s home. She had known the story of the two men agreeing to look after a lost little girl before most others in the town thanks to her Rolly bursting to tell her everything as soon as he came in the door after that first day at the motel. The two main men in question had been remarkably tightlipped about the whole thing though so there wasn't that much new fuel for the fire of the rumour mill.

As a result she had been more than surprised to get a call from Patrick this afternoon asking her to come and watch their little girl for the evening. Despite being a teacher and a parent Jocelyn wasn’t the most confident around little kids she didn't know; she was a _high school_ teacher for a reason after all. She’d pulled on her big girl pants though, she was honestly a little touched that she had been the one they had called, and she wasn’t ready to flunk this just yet.

And so she had come _prepared_ to charm her charge of the evening.

Plastering on her best smile as she heard the latch turn in the door, it opened to Patrick smiling kindly at her.

“Hi Jocelyn, thanks for coming. Come on in.”

“Hi Patrick! It’s no problem.”

As she stepped through the doorway she saw David emerge from the kitchen holding the hand of a slender, dark haired girl with big eyes. She stood close to David and looked at Jocelyn with curiosity and a little wariness. Jocelyn tried not to let her surprise show to see David looking so parental with the little girl. The general consensus around town was that Patrick must be the main one caring for their new child, not that she listened to town gossip, but it _was_ hard to picture the David they all had known for so long now as a _parent_.

It was clear though how much he cared for Maisie as he gave her hand a small squeeze and turned his body towards her, leaning down slightly as he introduced Joceyln to her.

“It’s lovely to meet you Maisie,” Jocelyn said, sticking out her hand to shake the little girl’s. She saw surprise flare in Maisie’s eyes for a moment before a determined but pleased look replaced it and Maisie let go of David’s hand to shake hers.

Jocelyn held out the bag in her left hand; “I brought things to do!”

At Maisie’s inquisitive look she explained; “It’s arts and crafts things; glitter, paper, glues and things like that.”

She handed the bag to Maisie, “why don't you take it through to the kitchen?” Patrick told her. “You’ll probably need the table to lay everything out.”

Maisie took the bag from Jocelyn with a smile and left the three adults alone when she walked down the hall and into their kitchen.

“We’re only going to the cafe for dinner,” Patrick told her, “David was a bit worried about going as far as Elm Dale in case we needed to come home.” He directed a teasing smile at David but Jocelyn could see the love for his husband shining through it.

“Okay, I wasn’t _worried_ ,” David flapped his hands a little, “I just don’t think we should go that far because it would be a lot of unnecessary driving, and yes, it would be inconvenient to have to come all that way back unexpectedly.. you know, if we needed to.”

Patrick pressed a quick kiss to his cheek with a smile, “I know, David.”

Jocelyn tried to keep the smile from breaking through too much, but seeing this side of the two men really was very sweet.

“Don’t worry, I have both of your phone numbers, you’ll only be a few minutes away and we will have plenty to keep us busy.” Seeing the slight hesitation still in both of the men’s eyes, she added, “I was the exact same way the first time I left little Rolly with a sitter, it gets easier.”

An hour later found Jocelyn and Maisie seated at the kitchen table, art and crafts supplies strewn around them. 

Jocelyn glued another silver star to the picture she was making while Maisie carefully blew excess glitter off her page. 

“I’m sure your Dads will love it when they come home,” Joceyln said. 

It was only when Maisie went bright pink and sputtered out; “they're not - I’m not- I’m not _theirs_. I’m just.. I’m just...”, that Jocelyn realised she’d misspoken.

She could see Maisie starting to get upset and wanted to reassure her, Jocelyn didn’t want to speak out of turn but- “hey, hey, don’t say that. They _love_ you, anyone can see that. You know they're always gushing about you when they’re in town.”

Maisie met her gaze with wide eyes; “they are?”

Jocelyn laughed now, “ _Oh_ yeah. I don’t even think they realise they’re doing it. It’s really sweet.”

Still a little pink in the cheeks, but smiling now, Maisie picked up a new piece of blue card from the pile on the table.

“I think I’ll use the glitter glue this time.” 

Sensing she wanted to change the topic, Jocelyn pulled the packet of colourful, sparkling tubes towards them.

Two hours later, Maisie laid their last work of art onto the kitchen table to dry overnight, a piece of purple card with her name written in silver and blue glitter, and said quietly, “I’m going to ask my D-Dads if I can hang it on my bedroom door.”

Jocelyn could see Maisie was trying for nonchalance so she tried her best not to react to her words.

“I’m sure they won't mind.” 

~~~~~~

David was unlocking the front door while Patrick stood close behind, a steady presence at his back. He hadn’t realised how much they needed to take some time for each other until tonight. David knew that they both adored having Maisie staying with them and he loved time spent with her. But it was good, he thought, _healthy_ for them to realise they could take time for themselves too without feeling guilty.

However, that didn't mean that his heart didn't do a little somersault with happiness when he heard Maisie exclaim, “they're home!”, as they opened the door. Based on his grin, Patrick felt the same.

They both pulled Maisie into a hug when she appeared in front of them, Jocelyn trailing behind, the faint smell of PVA glue throughout the house.

“How did everything go?” Patrick asked Jocelyn as she joined them.

He missed her answer though as Maisie had taken him by the hand to pull him into their kitchen where there was an impressive array of colourful artwork. She was explaining each work to David as Patrick and Jocelyn followed them into the room, both smiling.

David had to admit that, despite the use of glitter and coloured card, Maisie clearly had a vision behind each of her works. He found himself kind of… _proud_ of her?

After he and Patrick had been shown her whole collection, and ‘oohed’ and ‘ahhed’ at each, they walked Jocelyn to the door, not wanting to keep her too long. She had her own child to get back to. 

“Thank you so much again Jocelyn,” Patrick was saying, “we really appreciate it. It’s been a crazy few weeks as you can imagine so it was really great to be able to take a few hours for ourselves tonight.”

Suddenly looking stricken he added, “Not that we don’t love spending time with Maisie and having her here!”

Jocelyn, with a smile on her face, put a hand on his arm and said, “Patrick! It’s fine! You’re both great Dads. You clearly love her and she adores you both.”

David felt his stomach flip at her words… _Dads_.

“I’m here anytime you need a sitter. I’m a parent too, you have to have your adult time,” she continued, with a wink.

David shuddered a little at that image of Roland.

~~~~~~

An hour later, as Maisie was getting ready for bed, David went to the bookshelves in their office to carefully slide a weighty, leather-bound, black book from a shelf. He had had the idea since Jocelyn had left earlier.

Heading to Maisie’s room he knocked lightly, waiting for her to tell him to come in. 

She looked so cozy in her pyjamas as she sat on top of the covers of her bed, wrapped in her fuzzy blanket looking at one of the books she had gotten at the library with Patrick the week before. David felt warmth spread through him as he saw their little girl in her room.

Maisie smiled at David, something she did more and more easily now every day. 

“Hi,” he said simply before giving in to the urge to kiss her on the head. “Can I sit?”

Upon her nod, he sat next to her, melting slightly when Maisie immediately scooted closer to him leaning heavily against his side.

David wrapped his left arm around her; “so I had a thought this evening when I saw the fun you and Jocelyn had with art.. I’ve always found it really helpful to express what I’m thinking or feeling onto paper. Sometimes I write; let all of my fears out and put them on the page. Sometimes I write letters to people I’m never going to send; tell them how I feel, if they hurt me or… A lot of the time though, I draw my feelings. I have _thousands_ of journals that are filled with all my thoughts and feelings and drawings.”

He held out the book in his hand to Maisie; it was a heavy, leather bound journal. She held it and ran her hands over the cover with a reverie usually reserved for VIP Mariah Carey tickets.   
Mouth agape, Maisie looked up at David; “for me?”

He smiled, “of course.” _As though he wouldn't give this little girl everything she ever wanted._ “You can fill it any way you want to. And don’t worry about minding it or keeping it looking nice. The best journals are always a reflection of their owners; so get the cover scuffed, paint stars on it, whatever you want, make it _yours_.”

Her eyes still on her new journal Maisie breathed, “Thank you”.

“Of course”, David replied. He had never meant anything more.


	7. Chapter 7

David woke up the next morning looking forward to starting his day. He’d never admit it but since Maisie had come to stay he hadn’t minded getting up in the morning nearly as much. Sure he loved his lie-ins, and maybe it was simply just because he was now outnumbered in the house by early risers, but he found himself getting up earlier and earlier now even on his days off wanting to join Maisie and Patrick downstairs.

His happiness this morning though was soon tampered. Maisie had been quiet and reserved all day, she seemed withdrawn and unhappy and nothing David or Patrick did or said seemed to help. 

Over lunch both he and Patrick were trying valiantly to raise the mood of the household.

“We could try adding some garlic oil to the pizza dough this evening,” Patrick was saying, eyes moving to Maisie with an air of desperation, hoping for some kind of acknowledgement from the girl.

He looked to David for help.

“Mmm, yes. I had a brief fling in Florence with the owner of a Michelin Star pizzeria once and learned a few tips on the correct way to produce a crispy thin base.”

“Really? You’ve had insider knowledge of authentic Italian pizza making that you’ve been keeping from me all these years?”

“Well in my defence I mostly just sat around eating gelato watching while tanned muscular men kneaded dough. I don’t know how much actual cooking knowledge I retained.”

“Oh we should try making authentic gelato!” Patrick looked towards Maisie, trying to bring her into the conversation. “We should visit the Hyett’s farm and get fresh strawberries.”

“I’m sorry honey but no matter how incredible the Hyett’s strawberries might be nothing beats eating gelato while sitting in the Italian sun.”

“Well I guess we’ll just have to go some time and find out.”

“Really?!” David looked excited.

“I mean we’ve been saying we wanted to travel more,” he shrugged. “I bet Maisie would enjoy eating her weight in ice cream with you.” 

Before Patrick even seemed to realise what he’d said, Maisie stood abruptly, shoving her chair back violently behind her. It clattered on the tiles as it fell backward.

“No!” she shouted suddenly, “No! No! No!”

David’s heart leaped into his throat. He had _never_ seen her like this before.

He stood quickly and moved around the table towards her. But as he took a step closer Maisie had thrown her two arms out in front of her, colliding with David’s midsection to stop him. 

It felt like someone had stabbed him in his heart. Maisie had never reacted to him like this before.

“Maisie!” Patrick spoke in a firm unwavering tone but it had no effect. “NO!” she screamed, tears running down her face now, she ran from the room door slamming loudly behind her.

They could hear the thundering of Maisie’s feet as she ran up the stairs but the silence in the kitchen was deafening. David looked to Patrick with wide scared eyes. Patrick was pale and shocked looking. David thought he probably looked the same.

“Patrick?!” David was shocked by how scared his own voice sounded to his ears.

“I don’t- I don’t know. I..” he stood up from the table and pulled David into his arms for a moment. Wrapping their arms around each other tightly they stood each getting strength from the other before pulling away and moving toward the kitchen door as one.

They could hear screams of rage from Maisie’s room and the sound of crashing. They ran towards the stairs and up to Maisie’s room and arrived in time to see that she had swiped all of her belongings off her bedside table. At seeing her guardians in her doorway Maisie screamed “No!” again and gave one mighty shove to the bedside table and it crashed to the floor on its side.

“No!” she collapsed to the floor as though all the energy had drained from her now. “Don’t be nice to me! Don’t be nice to me! Don’t be nice to me! Don’t be nice to me! Don’t be nice to me! Don’t be nice to me!”, she shouted, hands firmly clamped over her ears now, as she shook her head no.

David and Patrick moved forward; into her room and onto the floor beside her, David pulled Maisie into his arms even as she continued her protests.

He had tears flowing down his cheeks but just pulled Maisie onto his lap, arms wrapped protectively around her and began to rock. He felt, more than saw, Patrick beside him on the carpeted floor. Patrick wrapped his arms around them both as Maisie’s shouts turned into sobs. She cried like David had never heard before, it sounded like she was exposing a pain deep within her soul and allowing them to hold her through it, to offer some kind of comfort.

Together they cried and held each other. Eventually Maisie’s sobs lessened to gasps and then to hitched breaths but still David and Patrick held each other and held her.

David didn’t know how much time had passed when he realised Maisie had fallen asleep in his arms. His legs were numb beneath him. He turned his head to Patrick and saw an expression of such anguish on his tear streaked face that David wanted to start crying all over again.

They looked at each other silently for a moment before Patrick moved to a crouch and gently moved his arms around Maisie’s, now sleeping, form and took her from David’s arms. Standing slowly with her he lowered her onto her bed, covering her with her favourite soft purple blanket.

Wordlessly, Patrick extended his hand to David to help him stand and they left the room, pulling the door slightly behind them. Neither spoke as they descended the stairs hand in hand until they walked back into the kitchen they had left hours before.

A loud sob tore from David’s throat and he and Patrick fell into each other, arms wrapping around each other as tears fell down both of their faces.

“I’m going to phone Maeve,” Patrick said with a shaky breath after a few minutes. “She has to know what to do”.

David looked at him with wide eyes.

Minutes later they were both crowded around Patrick’s phone having explained what had happened to Maeve.

“That’s really tough guys, I’m sorry. It sounds like you handled it really well though,” she said evenly.

The paused, waiting for her to continue. When she didn’t David broke in, “but what do we _do_?” he asked desperately. “How do we _help_?”

Patrick gripped David’s hand.

“Like I said guys, you handled it really well. Maisie has had a hard time of it, I’d be surprised if she didn’t have trouble adjusting every now and then.”

 _Was that all?_ David wanted to scream.

Surely she couldn’t be suggesting that there was nothing else they could or should be doing to help the young girl?

Patrick, clearly having similar thoughts asked, “isn’t there anything more we can do? Therapy or counselling or something could help?”

“You can absolutely bring her to see someone if you feel it would help. The only issue would be..” Maeve hesitated, “you’ll find it difficult to get the state to pay for private therapy and the waiting list for the public child psychologist is long...”

“It’s fine, we’ll pay”, Patrick said at once. David nodded vigorously beside him.

“Oh! Well if you’re prepared to do that then absolutely go ahead. I have the names of some child psychologists I can recommend if you would like?” she asked.

“Yes, please, that would be great”, Patrick let out a sigh, relieved.

They finished their call and immediately contacted the therapist Maeve recommended, managing to get a last minute appointment for later that day.

~~~~~~

“Okay,” Dr Cortez said kindly to Maisie, “Your foster Dads are going to wait outside while we chat and come back in a little while.”

David felt a small flash of annoyance at the dismissive tone of _foster_ Dads. 

It could be, David rationalised after a moment, all in his head. I mean, that was what they _were_ to Maisie; _foster_ fathers...

Leaving a small looking Maisie, eyes fixed on her lap, sitting on a cheerful orange sofa, Dr Cortez walked David and Patrick towards the door. 

The drive to the therapist’s office had been quiet, neither man knowing quite what to say to make it better. 

When they arrived they were greeted by Dr Cortez; a slim, commanding woman in her late thirties with beautiful features and a kind smile. They had been shown down a corridor and into a happy looking room decorated with tasteful, cheerful colours. There was a large, soft, orange couch by one wall, a large patterned rug on the floor and a low table with several dolls, toys and colouring pencils.

Dr Cortez walked David and Patrick to the door of the colourful room; “I understand you’ve both had a difficult morning. I will be here with Maisie until 2pm. Go and get a cup of coffee and talk about something other than your little girl, okay?”

David swallowed, looking behind her to where Maisie sat; still staring down at her knees, unmoving. Everything in him told him not to leave, to walk back in there and take Maisie into his arms and hold her until it was all better. He knew he shouldn’t though. What was best for Maisie was to stay here and get Dr Cortez’s help.

With that the Doctor gave them a smile and closed the door.

Ten minutes later they were seated across from each other at a small table in the corner of a coffee shop; steaming mugs in front of each of them as the sounds of Taylor Swift’s New Years Day drifted through the air.

Neither seemed sure where to start. 

“So, uhm..”  
“So I guess-” They both started at the same time, breaking off with awkward laughs.

“It was nice going to dinner last night,” David offered.

Patrick smiled, “It was. It was great of Jocelyn-” He cut himself off with a self deprecating laugh. “Sorry. No Maisie talk.”

“We, um, we…” David tried. “Okay! _Why_ is this so hard?” 

Patrick laughed.

“There’s _one_ thing we’re not allowed to mention and we suddenly have nothing to talk about?!” 

“Well she's a pretty big _one thing_ ,” Patrick joked. 

“Oh my god! We’re such _parents_!” David huffed with a tone of amused disbelief.

“To be fair I think both of our minds are just filled with a little too much _Maisie_ right now to talk about anything else. How about we talk about what’s on our minds? I’d feel better going back to that office knowing where we both stand.”

David took a deep breath and nodded. “Me too,” he said in a small voice.

They were both silent for a moment, as though each waiting for the other to start, before Patrick spoke.

“I’m scared,” he breathed out.

David bit his lip, “ Me too. Why are you scared?”

Patrick met David’s gaze, tears filling his eyes. “...She’s our little girl”, he said shrugging helplessly. 

“This is not the place for me to start sobbing right now”, David laughed through the tears now threatening to fall. 

~~~~~~

Sitting in the therapist’s office again, Patrick holding David’s hand in a tight grip, David felt scared to even breathe. He just wanted to know Maisie was okay.

“Now,” Dr Cortez began, “Maisie is a wonderful girl, as I’m sure you know. She expressed great affection for the two of you”. Patrick gripped David’s hand tighter.

“Is she”, David’s voice broke, “is she okay?”

Dr Cortez smiled softly at him. “I can understand how worried you both must be and how scary seeing Maisie in such a way must have been. However, for a foster child like Maisie who has had a very difficult upbringing thus far and who now finds herself in a safe, nurturing environment for the first time, this is quite a normal process.”

Dr Cortez took in their slightly disbelieving expressions and smiled kindly. “Maisie is having difficulty accepting the safety and security she has in your home. For a child like Maisie who has grown to expect and accept having to move to different homes with different foster parents throughout her life she did not know how to respond to the stability provided by you both.”

“Put simply, Maisie feels safe and cared for with you. This is a new experience for her and she feared when she would be moved from your home to a different foster placement. Unable to cope with the stress of that uncertainty she instead acted out. It gave her back some power and control over the situation; she reasoned that if she acted terribly enough for you both to send her away at least then she wouldn’t be left with the uncertainty of ‘waiting for the other shoe to drop’ as it were.”

Dr Cortez smiled kindly at David and Patrick’s somewhat stunned expressions.

“As new as this experience is for you both I’m afraid such reactions are not uncommon in children in the foster system. It is, perhaps, the first time Maisie has felt she is living somewhere she is content. She was not equipped to deal with the stresses of having something precious that could be taken away from her without her consent.”

“But we- we’re not sending her anywhere,” Patrick broke in suddenly. “She’s not- we’re not just going to send her away because she’s misbehaved.”

Dr Cortez smiled to him, “Mr Brewer, I never thought you would. The logic of a scared little girl was not flawless.”

“How do we help her?” David asked, desperate to be told the magic solution.

“The best thing you can both do is be open and honest with Maisie. She’s a very astute girl. It’s important for foster children to have a solid sense of where they are in the world. In some ways this is achieved by providing an enriching, loving home, which you are both providing wonderfully. But it’s also important to acknowledge that Maisie is, in fact, a ward of the state.”

David felt his stomach clench at Dr Cortez's words.

“Try to incorporate more conversations with Maisie about her future family,” she continued. 

David felt as though someone had knocked the air from his lungs. 

“Introducing an open dialogue about her situation and making the idea of a future ‘forever family’ part of her reality should help Maisie to begin to feel more security in her placement with you both.” Dr Cortez said.

“You want us to talk to her about leaving us?” Patrick asked slightly incredulously.

Dr Cortez smiled, placing a kind hand on his forearm. “I understand that this can seem counterintuitive but as it stands Maisie is struggling with the uncertainty of her situation. Having open communication with her will help to give her some of the clarity that she needs. To be a foster child is to live a life of uncertainty. That is the truth Maisie lives with everyday, and to push that reality aside and pretend she will be in your family for the rest of her life is not helping her.”

David felt a wave of grief suddenly flood through his body, taking him completely by unawares. _Why_ was he feeling like this? None of this was new information. And they were being told how to _help_ Maisie. 

_So why did he feel as though someone were pulling his heart out through his chest?_

Looking towards his husband he saw that Patrick didn’t look like he was faring much better; a stunned look on his face. 

Dr Cortez touched David’s hand with a kind smile, “I’ll give you both a few moments. Maisie is in the playroom so take all the time you need,” she said. And, with that, she left the room, leaving the two slightly stunned looking men alone.

The silence in the room felt heavy for a moment. David waited for Patrick to break it. Realising he wasn’t going to, David took a deep breath.

“What are you thinking?” he asked quietly.

Patrick let out a heavy exhale, running his hand over his face roughly before taking a breath. Squaring his shoulders slightly, his eyes met David’s.

“David, I can’t imagine telling Maisie about how she’s going to leave us one day,” he said, a tone of desperation to his voice.

David felt his eyes fill with tears.

“Telling her about the _forever family_ she’s going to meet someday,” Patrick continued. “David I don’t think I want her to have to leave us”, his voice broke.

A sob escaped David, he grabbed Patrick’s hands in his and said through his tears, “I don’t either.”

For a moment they both just looked at each other.

“David what are we talking about here?” Patrick asked, sounding scared and a little desperate. “Are we talking about-,” he broke off, “are we talking about _adopting_ Maisie?” he asked, his voice broken and ragged.

He looked at David who had tears flowing down his face. “Yes,” David said through a sob. 

“Okay,” Patrick said, all his breath leaving his body in a rush. 

“Are you sure?” David laughed slightly through his sobs. 

Patrick raised his hand to cup David’s face, “ _Yes_ ” he answered, “I know this isn’t what we had planned for but.. yes, I want this.”

“You.. I mean, you hadn’t want kids either..? .. right?” David asked uncertain.

“No” Patrick replied easily, “but I never felt strongly for or against having them like you did. At one point in my life I’d just assumed that I’d have kids one day and that was fine. Then you didn’t want kids and that was fine with me too. It really was David.”

“I still don’t think I want kids...” David said hesitantly.

Patrick opened his mouth to speak but David continued on. 

“I don’t think I want kids but I think I might want Maisie.”

Patrick smiled and leaned up to kiss David gently on the lips.

“You know some might argue that Maisie is, in fact, a child”, he teased

“I just... the idea of kids, of a baby or some random child coming into our lives and disrupting everything still holds zero appeal to me. But with Maisie.. not that our lives didn’t change when she came to stay with us but.... she’s always just felt...”

“Like ours” finished Patrick.

David nodded. 

Patrick kissed David’s forehead, standing up and holding a hand out. 

“Let’s go get out daughter,” he said with a playful smile. 

David immediately choked out a sob again, tears falling harder than before.

“Stop saying things to make me cry!” David said smiling despite his tears. “I’m gonna freak Maisie out!”

“She might as well start getting used to it. We’re an emotional family.”

They walked out of Dr Cortez’s office hand in hand towards the playroom and Maisie.

The door was open and they could see her inside sitting on the floor holding a Barbie doll loosely in her hands. 

Walking in, Patrick said, “Honey, time to go home.”

She didn’t move. They walked closer to her and tentatively sat on the black couch close to where she sat on the floor. Patrick reached out a hand to her shoulder; “Maisie?”

Biting her lip she looked up at them with big dark eyes filled with tears and fear. David’s heart clenched.

Patrick moved before David could even react; sliding off the couch to sit next to the little girl, his hand on her back. He dipped his head to catch her eye and said, “It’s _okay_ Maisie. You’re not in trouble.”

Maisie held Patrick’s gaze for a moment, as though checking his truthfulness, lip caught tightly between her teeth before she launched herself into his arms with a sob.

David felt tears well in his eyes again as he watched his husband and daughter hold each other.

Their _daughter_. It had been true for a while, David just hadn’t allowed himself to see it. 

He hated seeing her upset and unsure but at the same time he felt this flood of hope and joy when he realised that they were going to be there to see her grow to trust. They weren’t just going to be a stepping stone in her life towards her future where she believed in people, in love and in people sticking around. They were her _parents_ now. They were going to still be there when she gave her heart without reservation or fear. 

_God he couldn’t wait to experience it all._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Big stuff guys! We've been leading to this chapter for a while now. I've had the majority if it written for a few weeks so I'm excited to finally be able to share it and hear all your thoughts. 
> 
> I've got a lot of work to do on my dissertation before I go back to college next week so wish me luck surviving the next few days! It wont be too long before my next update though so don't worry!
> 
> x


	8. Chapter 8

“Daddy?” a small voice whimpered into the darkness of the bedroom.

Maisie’s breath hitched with a sob, tears flowing down her face, her slight shoulders shaking.

Before David had fully woken up or had time to process his actions he sat up in bed, turning towards the small girl, opening his arms to her.

Maisie fell heavily into David, crying harder now. She crawled onto him, wrapping her arms and legs around him and holding on tight.

David wrapped his arms around her protectively, stroking her hair.

“Oh sweetie”, he breathed, “you’re okay, I’m here, what’s wrong?”

“I had..” her breath hitched, “a dream. You were gone. There was no one here and I was all on my own”, she sobbed.

David wasn’t surprised to hear Patrick stir behind him before feeling his hand brush, reassuringly, over this shoulder before coming to rest on Maisie’s back.

Together they held her, rocking slightly together, as her sobs began to subside.

She was breathing slowly, leaning heavily into David when Patrick whispered into the dark, “Do you want to sleep in here tonight?”

David felt Maisie’s nod against his chest. Together they moved until the girl was lying in the centre of the bed surrounded safely by the two people who loved her more than anything else in the world.

~~~~~~

Patrick blinked his eyes open, light streaming in through the split in the curtains. Looking at the clock he saw it was a little after seven in the morning. As he became more aware of his surroundings, the events of last night came back and he turned to see David sprawled on their bed like a starfish, except for his left arm that was wrapped protectively around Maisie as she slept, drooling slightly onto David’s chest.

Patrick felt a rush of love for his family. They were so goddamn adorable.

Easing out of bed, as to not disturb them, Patrick watched for a moment before picking up his phone from his bedside table and taking a couple of photos of David and Maisie asleep together. It wasn’t his fault they looked so sweet together!

He took his clothes to the bathroom with him to begin getting ready for work while Maisie and David slept.

He couldn’t keep the smile off his face as he showered; they were _adopting_ Maisie. He kept waiting for a wave of fear or nervousness to overtake him. It wasn't that he wasn't completely sure of their choice, he was, but it was still a massive decision. This was a huge change for their lives, for their future. 

It was true what he’d told David yesterday, he didn’t have strong feelings against the idea of having kids, he never did. But he and David had still moved into such a great part of their lives together the past few years; they had their routines and their life together. Adding a nine year old to that permanently will be a huge change.

But no matter how he tried he couldn't feel anything other than excitement and happiness. Finally just letting himself enjoy it he let his mind wander; his Mom was going to lose her shit, he’d have to call her later.

Oh! He suddenly realised, they were going to have to start planning for school. It was still summer now but they’d have to start on getting her enrolled. Hmmm he’d have to start doing some research and maybe start a to-do list...

He was restocking the shelves at the store a few hours later when his phone lit up with an incoming call from David.

“Good morning,” he answered with a smile.

“Hi,” he could hear David’s smile in his voice.

“You looked cozy this morning when I got up, I didn't want to disturb you.”

“Mmm.. So, uhm, what- what is our plan for today? With Maisie?”

They hadn’t spoken with Maisie yet about their decision to adopt her, yesterday had been emotional enough and they still had to talk with Maeve. 

~~~~~~

It was still early enough that it was quiet in the store. Picking up his phone again Patrick dialled his parents; It had become a routine to call his parents once a week in the last few years, he loved how much more involved they were in his life. In fact, Marcy and David were actually quite close, texting each other often.

Marcy and Clint already knew all about Maisie; Patrick had first told them about the little girl they would be looking after for a few weeks a couple of days after she had arrived. To say Marcy had been excited would be an understatement. Patrick knew that she had tried to keep it contained but he could hear their excitement for them spilling out in every phone call. As for David, Patrick knew he had taken to texting Marcy updates and photographs of Maisie and particularly of Patrick _with_ Maisie every couple of days. 

Patrick kind of loved it.

And, so, after everything that had happened yesterday Patrick honestly just wanted to gush about his family, about their new daughter, and he knew no one would be more excited to hear all about it than his parents.

Patrick listened as the phone rang, surprised that he felt some butterflies in his stomach.

“Patrick!” his mother answered, sounding surprised.

“Hi Mom,” he laughed.

He heard his mother turn from the phone and call for Clint to join before he heard his father's voice join her. Patrick could picture them both huddled around the phone, it made him smile.

“How are you my sweet boy? How is David? How is Maisie? How are you all getting on?”

“Oh we're good, everyone is good. Actually, I wanted to tell you something…” Patrick couldn't help but feel the deja vu of the last time he had such big news to tell his parents, oh how his life had changed; here he was about to tell his parents that he and his husband were adopting a child. _God_ , that sentence was crazy. He loved it.

“David and I had a conversation yesterday and we've decided something… we've decided we don't want Maisie to leave. We don't want to just be a temporary foster care placement for her. She's had such a hard time of it in her life and we both love her so much and we can't imagine her going to live anywhere else. We don't _want_ her to go anywhere else. So we decided that we want to adopt her.”

The sound that came out of his mother's mouth at that moment he didn't think he'd ever heard before.

“Oh, my sweet, sweet boy!”

“Patrick we're so happy for you both,” his father said, sounding suspiciously choked up.

Patrick could feel the emotion swelling in his own throat and swallowed it down to say, “thank you guys.”

“So, tell us everything, how it happened, how you came to the decision… Although I have to admit I had my suspicions that you both loved that little girl far too much to ever see her leave for a while now.”

Not able to choke down the emotion this time Patrick felt a small sob leave his throat before he began telling the story for his mother.

~~~~~~

When Patrick walked in his front door some time later, he felt himself smile when he heard the sounds of the voices of both David and Maisie coming from the kitchen. He really was smiling to himself more and more often. He didn't care though; he shared a house with the love of his life and the most wonderful little girl who he loved more than he ever thought possible, and today they were going to be planning how to ensure that she would be with him forever. He would smile all he damn well pleased.

Rounding the corner into the kitchen Patrick was greeted by Maisie seated at the table busy with her friendship bracelet making again while David finished cutting a sandwich in half and placing it on a plate at the kitchen counter. The two were chatting amongst themselves and both looked up with a smile when they saw Patrick enter the kitchen. 

There was lightness and joy emanating from David today. Maisie still looked a little tentative after all of the events yesterday; Patrick knew that they couldn't speak to her about any of their decisions until after they had made the phone call to Maeve. He couldn't wait to put her mind at ease though. Later. 

While the three of them ate lunch, they chatted about everything but the events of yesterday. Trying to make small talk with a 9-year-old, avoiding the elephant in the room, wasn't that easy but David was pretty good at keeping her distracted and giggling throughout the meal.

Patrick felt like he was keeping things from her, which was crazy, he knew that. But he couldn't wait for that evening when hopefully all three of them would have no secrets between them.

After they cleaned up Maisie settled back onto the table with her friendship bracelets while David and Patrick retreated upstairs to phone Maeve.

Sitting on their bed side by side, David held his phone loosely in his hands. 

“Last chance to back out?”

David had said it in a light, joking tone but Patrick could see the tense set of his shoulders and the anxiety around his eyes.

Patrick took David’s phone out of his hands and placed it gently on the bed beside them. He took both of David’s hands in his, looked him in the eye and said firmly; “I love you. And I love that little girl. And there is nothing I want more in the world, or for our lives, than to have both of you in it forever. I will always choose you, and I will always choose her. Both of you are my family and this phone call is just the beginning of making that legal.”

Tears tracked down David’s face and he took a shuddering breath before nodding.

“Okay,” he breathed out. “I want this too; I want her, I want us to be a family with her.”

With that David picked up his phone, and without hesitation found Maeve’s name in his contacts list and pressed ‘call’.

One hand still tightly gripping David’s Patrick listened to the phone ring before he heard Maeve’s voice.

“Hello?”

~~~~~~

David bit his lip as he looked out the kitchen window to where Maisie played outside. 

Their call with Maeve had been... Well he supposed it couldn’t really have gone any better. She was nothing but supportive of their decision, David had expected her to sound more surprised than she did but.. anyway. She told them that she would start all the necessary paperwork and that for the moment they didn’t need to do anything, there would be home visits and an official interview to come, but for now? They just had to be together.

He felt Patrick walk up beside him.

He held a hand out to David, following his gaze to Maisie

“Shall we go and have a conversation with Maisie?” 

David felt the warmth and excitement in his stomach and let Patrick lead him out onto the back porch. Maisie was kicking a plastic soccer ball on the grass.

“We should put a tire swing in that tree.”

“Okay honey,” David laughed, “one step at a time.”

“Hi sweetie, we want to have a chat. Can you come in here for a second?” Patrick called out to Maisie.

David had noticed how much more freely Patrick had been using pet names for Maisie the past two days, he kind of loved it.

Maisie’s head had snapped up to Patrick when she heard his words. As she trotted towards them David could see the anxiety around her eyes; she was clearly worried about what they wanted to talk about.

They both smiled warmly, trying to put her at ease.

David put a comforting hand on her shoulder as they all walked towards the porch swing.

He took a seat on the swing next to Maisie while Patrick pulled over one of the wooden chairs so he was seated in front of them.

He didn’t know how to start.

Suddenly Maisie looked up at him, biting her lip, tears filling her eyes, she asked in a quiet voice; “are you sending me away?”

“What?! No!” David burst out. _Oh no_.

Patrick leaned forward in his seat and put a hand on her knee, “We are _not_ sending you away,” he said firmly.

Maisie swallowed, her eyes flicked between the two men, still looking unsure.

“But yesterday I was bad,” she whispered, “I always get sent away when I‘m bad.”

No, no, David had to fix this now. He ducked his head to meet her eyes directly, turning his body towards her.

“ _You were scared_. You weren’t _bad_ Maisie. You were scared and so you acted out. That’s not your fault. You’ve had a lot of adults in your life not treat you the way they should have and when that happens it can make trusting people very scary. I know that more than anyone.” 

Patrick gave him an encouraging smile.

“For most of my life I had a lot of bad people in it too,” he continued. “And it made me scared and it made me angry. And so sometimes, because I only knew bad people it made me push away the good people because.. what if I was wrong? What if they weren’t good people? What if they were bad people just pretending to be good? And if they _were_ good I certainly didn’t deserve that.”

Both he and Maisie had tears flowing down their cheeks when he finished speaking.

After a moment she whispered, “people should have been nice to you. You’re not bad.”

“Neither are you.”

She let out a huge sob and threw herself into David’s arms.

He closed his eyes and held her tight.

When her sobs subsided David pulled back, gently wiping the tears from her cheek with his thumb.

She leaned into the touch.

David looked at Patrick. His eyes were swimming with unshed tears and the _love_ that shone from them took David’s breath away for a moment.

_How did he get this lucky?_

Gathering himself, David knew Patrick was deciding how to broach the conversation they wanted to have.

Patrick hesitated for a moment before seeming to forgo a big speech, took a breath, and simply said, “Maisie, we love you very much and we don’t want you to leave. We wanted to ask.. we wanted to ask how you would feel about us adopting you?”

Maisie’s whole body seemed to freeze; her eyes wide, fixed on Patrick.

He smiled gently. 

“We both love you very much, you’ve been our little girl for a while now. We just want to make it official; have you be our daughter, have you stay here with us.”

Tears had started to stream down Maisie’s face as Patrick spoke, breath now coming in gasps she nodded her head furiously. 

After a moment she gasped through her tears, “Yes please.”

Oh how David felt his heart break and reform all in that same moment.

~~~~~~

Patrick walked out of their bathroom after brushing his teeth and was surprised to see the bed empty.

Knowing there was only one other place his husband could be he wandered down the hall towards Maisie’s room. He hoped she hadn’t had another nightmare so early in the night.  
When he peered through the open door, however, he saw his husband standing by the head of Maisie’s bed, a small smile on his lips as he watched the little girl sleeping peacefully.

Patrick smiled to himself.

Walking into the room quietly, he came to stand next to David, leaning into his body slightly and moving his left arm to wrap around David’s back, holding him close.

“You okay?” he asked.

“It just… it feels like... it feels like she was always ours. We just didn’t know it until that day.” David said softly. “Does that sound crazy?”

“No,” Patrick kissed his forehead, “it doesn’t. I know exactly what you mean”.

David gently brushed the hair away from Maisie’s forehead.

Patrick felt a wave of love at his action; he kissed David’s cheek and gently tugged him towards the door.

“Let’s go to bed.”

Together they walked quietly out of their daughter’s room, pulling over the door behind them.


	9. Chapter 9

“David!”

He had hardly pulled the front door all the way before Alexis had thrown herself into his arms.

“Oof!”

He squeezed her back quickly before rolling his eyes, “ugh, Alexis!” he complained.

She pulled back, beaming at him, completely ignoring his complaints, kissing his cheek before moving past him into the house.

David had been trying to act nonchalant about the visit of his entire family this week but he was secretly (or not so secretly – Patrick definitely saw through him) really happy to see them.

It was a visit that had been planned for over a month; since before there was Maisie, but now that there _was_ a Maisie and a Maisie they were _adopting_ no less the visit seemed to take on a new significance.

While he hugged his parents who followed behind Alexis he heard Patrick welcoming Alexis from behind him in the hallway.

David turned and watched as his family turned their attention to Maisie who was plastered to Patrick’s side, holding his hand tightly.

“Ohmy _god_ aren’t you just the cutest!” Alexis proclaimed. Patrick grinned as he looked down at Maisie.

“Maisie this is Alexis, David’s sister, and his parents.”

“Maisie! It’s lovely to see you again,” Johnny began, leaning down slightly towards her. “We met before, I don’t know if you remember.. Well it maybe wasn’t the best of days all things considered but-”

“Okay! Thank you! That’s enough of that,” David broke in, “I think it’s time for wine maybe, hmm?”

God knows _he_ was going to need some wine soon... and when was Stevie getting here? Trust her to always be late.

After a tapas style lunch David had spent the morning preparing, everyone (now including Stevie who had finally turned up, she had brought wine so David would forgive her) had moved into the sitting room. 

David watched from the couch as his family, _all_ of his family, laughed and talked together, wine glasses in each of their hands. They were loud and completely ridiculous. He had missed having them all together like this.

Maisie had been shy and quiet for the first thirty minutes or so of lunch before a combination of Johnny’s incessant questions and Moira’s dramatics had her giggling. Alexis seemed to charm her with compliments and promises of a nail painting party tomorrow and David had seen Stevie silently move the spinach filo that Maisie had been trying to hide at lunch (she clearly wasn't a fan) onto her own plate, Maisie had given her a wide grin, Stevie just holding a finger to her lips with a small smile. And just like that they were friends it seemed.

Maisie was currently the centre of attention and loving it; regaling the room with stories from the past few weeks.

“Dad said that we can go to the store and pick out new paint for my room next week. _Any_ colour I want!”

_Dad._

David could feel Alexis and Stevie’s gazes on him; their heads having whipped around to stare at him immediately after Maisie spoke. He only had eyes for his daughter though. He could feel his eyes filling, his throat burning. David swallowed hard, repressing the huge smile that wanted to break through. He felt like he was flying.

His eyes still fixed on Maisie, he felt Patrick take his hand from where he sat beside him. After a moment he dragged his gaze from the little girl to Patrick. They shared a smile, squeezing the others hand tight.

~~~~~~

Needing a moment away from the noise David stepped out onto the back porch, leaning on the railings surrounding the porch. It was probably his favourite part of the house; looking out over the grass towards the big oak trees always calmed him. Patrick was right, they should put a tire swing back there.

He took a deep breath, letting it go in a rush. He instantly felt his shoulders relax.

After a moment he heard the door creak open behind him and felt, more than saw, Alexis move to stand beside him.

She gently bumped her shoulder against his.

“Why are you hiding away out here like a racoon David?”

He twisted his mouth in a small smile. “It’s not my fault this family is so loud. Hiding out here is the only way to avoid a migraine.”

“Ew, David.”

They stood silently side by side for a moment before she spoke softly again, “I really like this for you.”

“Shut up,” he replied just as softly.

Alexis bumped his shoulder again; “you’re, like, a _parent_ now. Who’d have thought that would ever happen, huh?”

“Well definitely not me. I mean I probably will be terrible at it,” David answered. The self-deprecation came naturally but even he could hear the tone of truth behind his words.

Apparently Alexis could too because she turned fully to him then; he avoided her gaze.

“David,” she said uncharacteristically softly.

He let out a huff; “Alexis.”

“No David, stop it. This is such a good look for you. You have this like _fairy tale_ life here now, I’m not going to let you talk yourself into messing it up.”

After a moment she continued, “I like having a niece.”

David swallowed hard.

“Yeah,” he breathed, “I like having a daughter,” his voice broke on the last word.

The smile Alexis gave him was beaming. She looked… _proud_ of him

David was not able to cope with the amount of family and _feelings_ that had been in his life recently. He was going to get dehydrated from all these tears.

Alexis just wrapped her two arms around his shoulders while they stood side by side on the porch as rain started to lightly fall before them.

~~~~~~

“I think it is time for some delectable post luncheon sweets, no? David, I’m trusting you have provided such provisions?” Moira declared.

David rolled his eyes but if someone else hadn’t brought up dessert in the next ten minutes he had been planning to just make a break for the kitchen and the tiramisu he had stashed there whether anyone followed him or not.

Patrick and Maisie had made a run to the nice bakery in Elmdale that morning while he was busy cooking. As a result there was now a choice of apple pie (with ice cream naturally) or chocolate brownie as well as the coveted tiramisu.

No one able to decide which dessert they wanted meant that soon everyone had flooded back into the kitchen, squabbling like children. 

Most people had ended up with slices of each on their plate, not wanting to choose.

Maisie was answering Johnny’s question on her interests which had quickly devolved into a conversation on baseball when he had heard she had an interest in the game. As a result David was only half paying attention to what was being said.

“I practice in the garden with Dad sometimes- I mean, uh, _Patrick_ Dad...”

David looked up at her quickly. So the _Dad_ comment wasn't going to be a once off then. He _really_ liked hearing it. He liked the idea that maybe it would stick.

“Well now, that’s just going to get very confusing, isn’t it?” Moira said. “Best to have separate paternal monikers, no? A ' _Dad_ ’ and a ‘ _Papa_ ’ would be much more efficient, hmm?” Moira finished decisively.

David had to consciously stop his mouth from falling open. He had barely coped with Maisie’s ‘ _Dad_ ’ she had used not 40 minutes before and now his mother had just _decided_ it seemed that he would be ‘ _Dad_ ’ while Patrick would now be ‘ _Papa_ ’?! 

Maisie, however, who seemed, for some unknown reason, to be very taken by David’s mother, was nodding sagely. 

It seemed the issue had been decided.

“Well, _Papa_ then, has been playing with me and showing me how to throw the ball the way they do on the games on tv.”

David’s eyes went to Patrick who was looking at Maisie with suspiciously misty eyes.

~~~~~~

Some time later, Patrick joined him where he stood in the corner of the room looking out at their family spread out together around the sitting room again. It was getting late, they’d have to to get Maisie to bed soon. For now though he didn’t want to break up the very serious discussion Alexis seemed to be having with her about… the importance of eye contact and nail polish colour for business meetings..? He wasn't too sure.

“So it seems we’re Dad and Papa know, huh?” Patrick asked, leaving his chin on David’s shoulder.

David had to bite his lip to keep his smile from breaking out too large on his face. He wasn't sure he really succeeded.

“Mmmm, so it would seem.”

Patrick seemed to have none of David’s qualms about hiding his smile and simply _beamed_ , pressing a kiss to his cheek and wrapping his arms around his husband.

“ _We're a Dad and a Papa, now_ " he said again for effect and this time David couldn't contain his happiness and a giggle left his lips, while he felt his eyes filling with tears.

Together they stood, holding each other, far too big smiles on their faces as they watched their big, beautiful mess of a family all argue and talk over each other in the living room of their home. All while Maisie sat right in the middle of it, a big smile on her face too.

Getting into bed that night David felt _exhausted_. He knew that his family visiting would be a whirlwind but he hadn’t been expecting this much _emotion_ with them here.

Patrick was already in bed. Rather than reading a book like he usually would he watched as David finished getting ready for bed and slid in between the sheets.

As soon as he was lying beside him Patrick reached for David and pulled him close; David’s back to Patrick’s front. David turned in his arms and wrapped his arms around his husband. Together they silently held each other, each listening to the other breathe. Patrick pressed a kiss into David’s hair where he was tucked into Patrick’s neck.

“Are you okay?” David breathed.

He felt Patrick nod, “I’m happy. I’m really happy, it just was a lot today, a lot of emotions today.”

David held him a little tighter, “she’s calling us Dad and Papa now,” he spoke so quietly he wasn’t sure Patrick heard him.

He knew he had when Patrick took a shuddering breath; “I wasn’t surprised she wanted to call you Dad, I wasn’t expecting _Papa_ though.”

David hadn’t been expecting that.

_"What?"_

“Hmm? David it's clear how much she loves and looks up to you, anyone who sees you two together can see it.”

David pulled back to look at Patrick, he didn’t like what what Patrick _wasn't_ saying implied.

“You know she loves you too?”

“I know but-“

“No, Patrick. I know I was the first one she met, the one who brought her here but you haven’t seen how _you two_ are together. Patrick she wakes up early to you making her pancakes, don’t think I haven’t heard you two chatting and giggling over breakfast. You spend hours together in the backyard throwing baseballs at each other. You make her feel safe; I’ve seen how she melts into your hugs, you tuck her into bed and make her feel better after nightmares. _Of course_ you’re her Papa.”

Patrick had tears dripping onto his pillow now, he tried to smile but it was cut off by a sob.

David pulled him back into a hug, Patrick gripping him tightly.


	10. Chapter 10

David was trying not to fidget. He didn't think he was succeeding. 

He stood in a marble-floored hallway with Patrick and Maisie talking softly beside him as they all waited to be called into the courtroom. 

_This was it. _Today was the day they were officially adopting Maisie.__

__Even six months ago David _never _would have seen himself standing here. If he had he’s pretty sure he would have had a panic attack just at the thought.___ _

____But now? Now he was so, so grateful that he was here; with his _family _. Not to say that he and Patrick weren’t already a family together, because they were, today that family was just growing a little.___ _ _ _

______It had been a stressful couple of months since they had made that decision, sitting in a little coffee shop, to adopt their little girl. There had been house visits, interviews and background checks. That last one, David had to admit, he had been a little worried about. Having a whole town full of people ready to vouch for the two of them, complete with written character references, had admittedly probably helped._ _ _ _ _ _

______It hadn’t all been easy. As much as it was a learning curve for David and Patrick to become parents and share their lives with a little girl it was just as much of an adjustment for Maisie. Maisie had lived a life where the only thing she could depend on was herself. Learning to trust that she not only had parents now, parents who _loved _her, parents who would never _leave _her, but that she also had a _home _and place she belonged had been hard._______ _ _ _ _ _

____________They were still visiting Dr Cortez once a week which David was so, so grateful for. Mostly it was time where Maisie could talk with the psychologist alone and work through her traumas and fears. Sometimes, though, David and Patrick would do sessions with Maisie. As hard as they sometimes were David was also so glad that they had this chance for a window into Maisie’s world, that she allowed them to see her fears and work to trust together._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________And so here they were. Standing in a hallway waiting for a Judge to… bang a gavel? Sign a form? … _Stamp _a form? Whatever it was Judges did to make it official – they were going to be a family.___ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________“I made you something,” Maisie spoke quietly, drawing David’s attention back to the room._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________Digging her hand into her pocket, Maisie opened her hand to reveal two simple chevron pattern friendship bracelets. She handed one to each of the men; a black bracelet with a simple thread of blue and purple running through it to David, a blue bracelet with black and purple through it for Patrick._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________“The purple is me,” she explained, “the black is Dad and the blue is for Papa.” She shrugged, glancing at each of them, looking a little self-conscious. “I thought.. We could wear them.. And it’s always the three of us together.” She pulled up her own sleeve to show them where her own purple, black and blue bracelet was tied to her small wrist._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________“Maisie,” David breathed. How was it that this small girl had the ability to reduce him to a sobbing mess with so little effort. He pulled her into a hug, resting his cheek on the top of her head. She clung to him tightly._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________When they pulled back, David held his wrist out to her to tie on the bracelet._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________“I’m going to wear it always,” he promised. “You know we were trying to think of a gift to give you to symbolise the three of us becoming a legal family, for forever. Something that would help you see how important this was to us, how important _you _are to us. And I think you just managed to beat all of the ideas we could come up with.”___ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________Maisie let out a small laugh, her eyes wet._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________“Your Dad is right Maisie,” Patrick said, “this is perfect.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________With their new bracelets tied securely to each of their wrists the three walked hand in hand into the courtroom, more than ready to become a family in the legal sense. In every other sense they had been a family for a while now._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________~~~~~~_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________“Maisie Baxter,” Judge Carter addressed the young girl, looking down from the bench. “This is a very special day.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________Maisie went a little pink at being addressed directly by the Judge but couldn’t keep the pleased smile from blooming on her face as she stood between her Dads, David grinned at her._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________“Are you ready to begin your life as Maisie Rose-Brewer?” the Judge continued, “As the child of David Rose and Patrick Brewer?”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________David felt his heart lurch happily at those words._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________He watched as a wide grin spread across Maisie’s face, she gripped David and Patrick’s hands tightly. David didn’t think he’d ever seen her smile so big._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________“Yes, Ma’am. Yes, please.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________Judge Carter gave a chuckle at Maisie’s words._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________Patrick looked over Maisie’s head and met David’s eyes, the happiness and love shining._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________He would never have predicted it but, standing in a courtroom on a Tuesday in July, David had never felt so whole._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________~~~~~~_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________The rest of the afternoon was a blur of tears and smiling and so much hugging._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________After Maisie had _officially _become their daughter and they had their first photograph taken as a family of three, and after they had to step outside the courthouse to take a call from Alexis because she had been shrieking so loud over FaceTime. After fielding _many_ excited text messages and after a phone call from the Brewers that made Patrick cry, the Brewer-Roses made their way home together.___ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _


	11. Epilogue

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well we're here! The final chapter!

Maisie woke up to the early morning light streaming across her bed. _Ugh_. She’d forgotten to close her curtains last night; she’d fallen asleep while journaling again. The black leather book, covered with band stickers, had fallen open on the carpet next to her bed, black fine line pens strewn next to it.

Ever since the first ever journal her Dad had given her years before Maisie often found herself getting lost in the leather-bound pages. Both her Dads always told her she could choose any kind of journal she wanted but she never wanted a different one. Her Dad seemed to have an endless supply of identical new, black journals on the bookshelf in the office, and honestly, she liked having the same journals as her Dad. Even if she tended to decorate the outside of hers.

Groaning, she dragged herself out of bed, stepping over the journal and pens. Pulling on an oversized hoodie she made her way downstairs, following the smell of coffee and the sound of acoustic Bruce Springsteen songs playing softly from the kitchen. Maisie wasn’t always a morning person, she loved a lie in, but she also loved early mornings with her Papa. He could always be counted on to be found with a cup of tea (though he always started the coffee for her Dad) either sitting at the kitchen table or on the back porch.

She found him this morning on the porch swing, back door open letting the sounds of the music float out. He glanced up and smiled when he saw her. She immediately came over to the porch swing, tucking herself into his side. He gave a chuckle and wrapped an arm securely around her. Maisie loved the feeling of absolute safety she felt in the arms of her Dads. She didn’t care that she turned fifteen today, as far as she was concerned she would never be too old for hugs from her parents. She’d waited long enough for this kind of love and family, she never intended to take it for granted.

Patrick pressed a kiss into her hair before asking, “ready for today?”

She couldn’t help but feel a rush of excitement; her whole family was coming to their house later to celebrate her fifteenth birthday.

She grinned and nodded, the bracelet still clasped around her Papa’s wrist all these years later catching her eye.

Her Dad hadn’t been lying to her the day she gave them both the bracelets she had made them when she was nine; he never intended to take it off again. In order to make that happen he had immediately started researching ways to preserve the threads. Now the bracelets the three of them still wore were sealed with a varnish, making them waterproof and they now closed with silver clasps rather than by tying the threads which made them much easier to take on and off. Leave it to her Dad to go into major internet research mode for something as simple as a friendship bracelet. She still remembered how special it had made her feel though when she saw all the time he had put into ensuring her bracelets would last the years. That was who her Dad was though; when he promised her something she knew he’d always do everything in his power to make sure he kept it.

She was fifteen today. She didn't feel fifteen. Were you supposed to feel different? Fifteen sounded like a proper teenaged age. 

Sometimes it was hard to even remember her life before Schitt’s Creek and her Dads, other times memories from her past came flooding back when she least expected or wanted them. Her therapist insisted that it was a “normal part of learning to heal and cope with the traumas of her past“. Didn’t mean that it didn’t suck though. 

But no matter what she knew where she belonged and she knew that she was safe and loved.

Hearing the sounds of her Dad entering the kitchen behind them, grumbling about the early hour, Maisie lifted her head.

Patrick huffed out a laugh and grinned. Standing, he held out a hand for her to take.

“Come on, it sounds like he needs to be pointed in the direction of the coffee.”

Letting out a laugh Maisie allowed herself to be pulled to standing before together they walked towards the open door.

Yeah, she thought, she was pretty lucky.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much to everyone for their love on this fic. Writing this story has been the most amazing experience, I started out delighted to get a couple of kudos on chapter one so I have been absolutely _blown away_ by the response from everyone. Thank you so much for all of your incredible comments. 
> 
> I hope everyone enjoys the epilogue!
> 
> For anyone wondering what the finished friendship bracelets with their metal clasps look like: https://www.pinterest.ie/pin/26951297741494892/


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